Myelodysplastic Syndrome
(MDS) is an insidious group of diseases that basically destroys your immune system
and bone marrow. MDS is creeping its way to the top of the
"quickest growing in occurrence" list. More and
more families are becoming aware of MDS because people they love are
being diagnosed with it every day.
Factors
that are believed to be driving its growth are: Chemicals being used in the
workplace that people are working with that are harmful. Radiation exposure, even at low doses, that compound and
result in MDS. Medications that are being prescribed that cause
long term damage.
It is your typical
"Gray Area" disease, because very few research dollars have
been allocated to finding exact causes and treatments. This
has resulted in a "no cure disease."
Unfortunately, this is the way that all
catastrophic diseases have gotten their start.
"Frightening" to say the least.
Some MDS patients, under
60, can be treated with a Bone Marrow Transplant, many can not.
There is a high rate of MDS turning into Leukemia.
MDS
can strike anyone at any age, but persons aged 60 and over make up the
largest group being affected. After a lifetime of working hard and
using harmful substances in their jobs, they are ultimately
affected with MDS. Maybe it's that innocent
diuretic that they have been taking, believing it was doing something
positive for their health.
White Blood Cells, Red
Blood Cells, Blood Platelets, Hemoglobin and Hemocrits are all affected
by MDS. Severe Anemia, Hemorrhage and Infection are resulting trademarks in many cases. It is most often discovered upon a
routine check-up or perhaps in conjunction with another problem.
The Doctor orders a CBC and your whole life changes.
Persons with MDS usually
become Immune Suppressed and are forced to change their lifestyles to
ones of "Isolation."
We need to put funding into
Public Education and Research. It is imperative that we find
causes and cures.
Right now, there is a
Resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives to do just that.
It is known as: H.
Con. Res 179.
Please
click here to view H. Con. Res 179. Follow the links found on that
page to the U.S. House of Representatives Contact Letter. You may
mail or email it to your U.S. House Congressman. Don't forget to
email this link to your friends and family to join in the effort.
Remember
when you take this action, you may be saving the life of someone you
care about in the future.