Phoenix Children's Hospital and Mayo Clinic Announce Valley's First Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program

Wednesday, September 10, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2003

CONTACTS:
Phoenix Children's Hospital: Kimberly Ovitt, (602) 546-5876
Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale: Anne Tewksbury, (480) 301-4368

Each year, approximately 40 - 50 Valley families will face a complex but potentially life-saving medical treatment for their child - a blood or marrow transplant (BMT). Phoenix Children's Hospital and Mayo Clinic have introduced the Valley's first pediatric blood and marrow transplant program, filling a critical gap in area services that, until now, has meant inconvenience for families and an interruption in the continuity of care provided by local pediatric oncologists.

"The Phoenix Children's Hospital Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program provided in cooperation with Mayo Clinic," will be housed at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Four rooms on the hospital's hematology/oncology unit have been specially equipped for the transplant-related care of these children. While the general public is more familiar with the term, "Bone Marrow Transplant," advances in technology have meant that the cells needed for this type of transplant now often can be collected from the blood, so BMT programs now commonly are called blood and marrow transplant programs.

The program's first BMT was done on July 29, but the organizations postponed the public announcement until the first patient, Ashley Robinson, 15, could fully recover and be introduced. Because there previously was no pediatric BMT program in the Valley, families needed to travel out of town to the University Medical Center in Tucson, or were referred out of state. The transplant often requires several months of focused BMT care, including hospitalization that could last for several weeks, so many families would need to temporarily relocate to be near their child, causing work absences and related hardships.

Alan and Joanie Bain said that they wish the new BMT program had been available in 1996 when their son, Alex, needed a transplant. They had to travel to Minneapolis, Minn. instead. "What people don't realize is that, when your whole world is turned upside down by this illness, consistency and familiarity become even more important. Having to introduce Alex to new physicians and spend several months in another state was incredibly stressful and an additional financial burden," Mrs. Bain said.

The majority of pediatric cancer patients in Arizona are treated at the Children's Cancer Center at Phoenix Children's Hospital, with about 300 patients in treatment at any given time. Of these, about 15 percent will require a BMT, a procedure that is usually done after other extensive treatment, which adds to the strong patient-caregiver bond.

"Our patients' families will tell you this program has been needed for many years," said Paul Baranko, MD, a Phoenix Children's Hospital oncologist who spearheaded efforts to establish the BMT program.

"Because these transplants require highly-specialized expertise and are only needed by a comparatively small number of children each year, the standard practice is to establish regional transplant centers that serve a large geographic area," said Baranko. He said this ensures expensive services aren't unnecessarily duplicated. "We remain supportive of the Tucson program; but with Arizona's population growth, it's clear there is now justification for an additional program," Baranko said.

Phoenix Children's Hospital has been raising funds and developing plans for the program since 1994. The hospital said the opportunity and decision to work with Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, a dialogue that began in 2000, was the final element needed to bring the program to fruition.

"The cooperative model is a great pairing of two organizations whose combined strengths will bring the best possible care to pediatric cancer patients," said Roberta Adams, MD, medical director for the new program. "PCH brings physician and support staff expertise in treating pediatric cancer patients, child-focused facilities, and unmatched family support programs. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale brings physician and administrative leaders experienced in directing and operating BMT programs, and they have access to the tremendous experience, resources and research related to pediatric BMT treatment from the entire Mayo Clinic organization," Adams said.

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