Stem cell transplant brings new life to SoCal woman battling MS
To others, it might not have seemed like the ideal time for Vickie V. to pick up and relocate from her southern California home to a rental in Denver, CO for three months. She was moving states away from her husband and two young daughters. Her mother had just passed away. The COVID-19 pandemic was still looming. And she was battling multiple sclerosis (MS) —a disease that had taken a toll on her body and her family’s finances. But, for Vickie, three months in Denver held something precious: hope.
Vickie’s journey with MS began in 2017. The disease, which affects the central nervous system, disrupts the way information moves in the brain and between the brain and the body. Symptoms of the condition vary between patients but often affect patients’ ability to walk, speak or see clearly. For Vickie, Bell’s Palsy (sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face), trigeminal neuralgia (intense, electric shock-like facial pain), and difficulty walking were some of the symptoms she experienced that formed her diagnosis. Soon, she began undergoing aggressive infusion treatments, but the cost was a burden on her family. “It was about $3,000 an infusion, which was a significant financial impact for my kids and my family. I had to make a choice. I was able to keep them in their school and pay for their tuition, but I knew I couldn’t keep it up” she explains. That’s when Vickie started researching. A nurse practitioner, she had the medical knowledge to know where to go and what to look for. She found her way to the National Institute of Health Web site and started calling around the nation’s best medical centers that offered promising treatments. Through her work, she found Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver, CO. “They got back to me about their AHSCT for MS program [led by Richard Nash, MD]. I was interviewed and accepted. It wasn’t a trial, but they were very careful in the selection process,” Vickie details.
“I looked at the research for the program and I knew that there was a right time frame with my disease progression and age to do it. That’s when I decided that I had to go for it before time runs out.”
Vickie knew it wouldn’t be easy; she was facing many obstacles— the challenges of travel during the COVID era, emotions following her mother’s recent death, her girls’ tender ages (11 and 13), the cost, the distance. At one point, her husband paused and said, “why now, just wait—it’s not the right time.” But Vickie persisted. In response, friends and family raised funds for the costs. Her oldest sister and one of her cousins from Chicago along with several childhood friends and nurses in her professional network stepped up to make a plan so she wouldn’t be alone. Vickie organized their visits so she would have care and companionship throughout her time in Denver.
“I met with Dr. Nash, and he was awesome. Very smart. Very educated. He gave me the confidence that I made the right decision,” Vickie details. “I asked for his studies, and he allowed me to read the information so I could understand it. I saw that everything was done to make sure I would be very, very safe. There was so much coordination and detail.”
Vickie’s received Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (AHSCT) for Multiple Sclerosis. The treatment has been made available at CBCI for patients with substantial MS disease activity despite treatment with disease modifying therapies, such as Vickie’s infusions. Dr. Nash and his team have more than 20 years of experience with AHSCT for autoimmune diseases, and CBCI is a Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT) accredited center for stem cell transplantation. “We offer AHSCT to select Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients with the goal of preventing further clinical relapses, brain lesions, and worsening disability,” the CBCI web site explains.
After extensive testing and preparation, Vickie’s medical team began the treatment protocol by collecting her own stem cells, which were then stored until ready for transplantation. Then, she underwent chemotherapy that prepared her body to accept new, healthy stem cells. Next, the collected stem cells were infused back into Vickie’s bloodstream, where they naturally migrated into the bone marrow. In the bone marrow, her stem cells replicated and become different types of healthy blood cells. While the treatment had a few complications and required close monitoring, Vickie made it through successfully and was able to go home after three months in Denver.
“I started off really, really sick— I couldn’t get around, I needed assistance,” Vickie explains. “Now, I can walk short distances and ride my tricycle without any assistance. I was able to walk the MS Walk and even have become a local activist for the MS Society. I've traveled alone. I’m still in school and getting my doctorate. I’m actively working as an NP in obstetrics and able to round my postpartum patients.”
Incredibly, Vickie continues to have no new lesions. And, in her busy life, slowing disease progression makes an incredible impact. It means spending more time with her family, enjoying the fine arts. “We recently went to a musical. We love the arts. I love to exercise—I have to modify a little bit but that’s OK. We all love to read. But really, it’s just being around and being present for my girls.”
For others considering AHSCT for MS, Vickie says, “Do your research—find a place with the right protocols and safety. CBCI is phenomenal. I am so glad I had a positive experience; the whole center is really the best and I am grateful to have been able to go there. For me this was by far the best route.”