While we wish we were able to use our fairy dust on everything, there are a few things that are out of our control…
Our very own Fairy Godmother Janet has recently discovered a new way that she will be using her fairy dust, and that is to fight off her recent diagnosis of APL Leukemia.
Photography by Allison Claire Photography.
Janet joined the Fairy Godmother family just a few years ago, after spending many years in the catering industry and the legal field for many years prior to that! She has been a true asset to our team, not to mention a true lady as we call her our very own “Jackie O.”
APL Leukemia, also known as Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, is as special as our Janet herself!
Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a form of acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood-forming tissue. In normal bone marrow, hematopoietic stem cells produce red blood cells (erythrocytes) that carry oxygen, white blood cells (leukocytes) that protect the body from infection, and platelets (thrombocytes) that are involved in blood clotting. In acute promyelocytic leukemia, immature white blood cells called promyelocytes accumulate in the bone marrow. The overgrowth of promyelocytes leads to a shortage of normal white and red blood cells and platelets in the body, which causes many of the signs and symptoms of the condition.
According to cancer.org, “the treatment of most cases of APL differs from usual AML treatment. Initial treatment includes the non-chemotherapy drug all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), which is most often combined with an anthracycline chemotherapy (chemo) drug (daunorubicin or idarubicin), sometimes also with the chemo drug cytarabine (ara-c).”
Our Fairy Godmother Janet will go through approximately 4 weeks of chemo and will be okay soon after that!
She has begun eating and walking again, a little bit at a time, and we are so thankful for our Janet!
Photography by Allison Claire Photography.
Janet has no plans of hanging up her fairy wings anytime soon, but while she is out, items can be sent to the 20th Street Cottage at 2024 20th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301 to get to her.
