RandyW Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 New drugs offer a chance A woman said that she's willing to try anything if it will make her better. By SARAH POULTON VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER BOARDMAN — Sabrina Hoffman thought she was going to have another baby. She went to her doctor and described pain underneath her rib cage, which had occurred during her first two pregnancies. After running tests, however, the doctors gave her some devastating news: She had cancer in her spleen and liver. The 33-year-old mother of two was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma, which occurs when the lymph nodes are infected with cancer. Three years later, the now 36-year-old from Boardman has endured endless chemotherapy and was looking for other options. Doctors told her the kind of cancer she had was not curable, but it was treatable. She was looking for something to suppress the cancer. It was brought to her attention by her doctor, Dr. Sudershan Garg, that Dr. Hillard Lazarus of Cleveland is doing a study on cancer patients and a new experimental drug, AMD3100. Hoffman's mother, JoAnne Gatta, said that her daughter applied for this treatment when she was first diagnosed and was accepted into the program about two weeks ago. Hoffman said that if this drug does its job, then chemotherapy won't be needed for people with her type of cancer. Instead of chemo, patients with Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma will take these treatments and then undergo stem-cell transplant, which involves removing her own stem cells, destroying her immune system, returning her stem cells to her body, and then rebuilding the immune system, she said. Hoffman said that her two children, Haley, 7, and Jimmy, 5, have been angels throughout this ordeal. They know their mom is sick and, even at their young ages, have been supportive of her, she said. "I love my Mommy," Haley said. "I'll miss her when she goes to Cleveland, but she'll be better when she comes home." Hoffman said that she spends most of her time with her children and her husband, Jim. Recently, the family has been taking minivacations on weekends to places like Waldameer Park and Water World and Splash Lagoon, both in Erie. She said that some people have looked down on her for spending her money this way, but she added that she wants to do as much as she can with the kids now, while she still feels good. Hoffman said that she has felt good every day since she's been diagnosed: "I've been in denial. I haven't accepted it yet because I don't feel sick." Right before she was diagnosed, Hoffman donated 10 inches of her jet-black hair to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a nonprofit charitable organization that uses human hair to create wigs for children who lost their own hair during medical treatment. During chemo, her hair thinned, but she didn't lose much. "I'm going to keep my hair this time and grow it long," Hoffman said. "When it gets long enough, I'm going to donate it again." She is now in the process of completing her tests before she goes to Cleveland. This last time, she had developed cancer in her lymph nodes located in her pelvis, lung and stomach. Hoffman said that though she's not exactly looking forward to the procedure, she's willing to try anything if it will make her better. The only thing standing in her way, she said, is money. With this being an experimental procedure, insurance may not cover some, if any, of the expenses, she said. Benefit In order to help Hoffman win the fight against cancer, friends and family have organized a fundraiser. On Monday, starting at 5 p.m., supporters of Hoffman are invited to meet at Salty Grogs in Boardman to help raise money for her medical bills. Dinner will be served from 5 to 8 p.m., costing $25, all benefiting Hoffman. There also will be a Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle. Not only does this serve as a way to make money, but it also will give Hoffman a chance to celebrate good times with her family and friends before going to Cleveland for treatment, she said. Gatta said this procedure will cost more than $300,000. There has been an account set up at Farmers National Bank, where people can donate. "This party isn't only to raise money," Hoffman said. "I want to see everybody before I go. When I come back, it might be hard for people to visit." While Hoffman is in Cleveland, she will be taking experimental drugs Neupogan and AMD3100. After the first week of treatment, she will have to spend the next three weeks in isolation, while her immune system is down. Hoffman said that she will miss her children and is trying to buy a laptop computer to take with her so they can chat through the Internet. "I'm terrified, not of what I have to do, but that it won't work," she said. "I'm afraid that I won't come home." Though her family will say that she is still the same bubbly mother, friend and wife as she was before she was diagnosed, her perspective on life has dramatically changed, she said. She looks at situations differently, and has a new-found appreciation for things she used to take for granted. "Always be there to support your friends in the good times and the bad," Hoffman said. "Having cancer makes you appreciate each day. Sometimes, I'm afraid to go to sleep because I don't want to miss anything." spoulton@vindy.com Sunday, July 16, 2006 The woman said that she's willing to try anything if it will make her better. By SARAH POULTON VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER BOARDMAN — Sabrina Hoffman thought she was going to have another baby. She went to her doctor and described pain underneath her rib cage, which had occurred during her first two pregnancies. After running tests, however, the doctors gave her some devastating news: She had cancer in her spleen and liver. The 33-year-old mother of two was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma, which occurs when the lymph nodes are infected with cancer. Three years later, the now 36-year-old from Boardman has endured endless chemotherapy and was looking for other options. Doctors told her the kind of cancer she had was not curable, but it was treatable. She was looking for something to suppress the cancer. It was brought to her attention by her doctor, Dr. Sudershan Garg, that Dr. Hillard Lazarus of Cleveland is doing a study on cancer patients and a new experimental drug, AMD3100. Hoffman's mother, JoAnne Gatta, said that her daughter applied for this treatment when she was first diagnosed and was accepted into the program about two weeks ago. Hoffman said that if this drug does its job, then chemotherapy won't be needed for people with her type of cancer. Instead of chemo, patients with Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma will take these treatments and then undergo stem-cell transplant, which involves removing her own stem cells, destroying her immune system, returning her stem cells to her body, and then rebuilding the immune system, she said. Hoffman said that her two children, Haley, 7, and Jimmy, 5, have been angels throughout this ordeal. They know their mom is sick and, even at their young ages, have been supportive of her, she said. "I love my Mommy," Haley said. "I'll miss her when she goes to Cleveland, but she'll be better when she comes home." Hoffman said that she spends most of her time with her children and her husband, Jim. Recently, the family has been taking minivacations on weekends to places like Waldameer Park and Water World and Splash Lagoon, both in Erie. She said that some people have looked down on her for spending her money this way, but she added that she wants to do as much as she can with the kids now, while she still feels good. Hoffman said that she has felt good every day since she's been diagnosed: "I've been in denial. I haven't accepted it yet because I don't feel sick." Right before she was diagnosed, Hoffman donated 10 inches of her jet-black hair to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a nonprofit charitable organization that uses human hair to create wigs for children who lost their own hair during medical treatment. During chemo, her hair thinned, but she didn't lose much. "I'm going to keep my hair this time and grow it long," Hoffman said. "When it gets long enough, I'm going to donate it again." She is now in the process of completing her tests before she goes to Cleveland. This last time, she had developed cancer in her lymph nodes located in her pelvis, lung and stomach. Hoffman said that though she's not exactly looking forward to the procedure, she's willing to try anything if it will make her better. The only thing standing in her way, she said, is money. With this being an experimental procedure, insurance may not cover some, if any, of the expenses, she said. Benefit In order to help Hoffman win the fight against cancer, friends and family have organized a fundraiser. On Monday, starting at 5 p.m., supporters of Hoffman are invited to meet at Salty Grogs in Boardman to help raise money for her medical bills. Dinner will be served from 5 to 8 p.m., costing $25, all benefiting Hoffman. There also will be a Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle. Not only does this serve as a way to make money, but it also will give Hoffman a chance to celebrate good times with her family and friends before going to Cleveland for treatment, she said. Gatta said this procedure will cost more than $300,000. There has been an account set up at Farmers National Bank, where people can donate. "This party isn't only to raise money," Hoffman said. "I want to see everybody before I go. When I come back, it might be hard for people to visit." While Hoffman is in Cleveland, she will be taking experimental drugs Neupogan and AMD3100. After the first week of treatment, she will have to spend the next three weeks in isolation, while her immune system is down. Hoffman said that she will miss her children and is trying to buy a laptop computer to take with her so they can chat through the Internet. "I'm terrified, not of what I have to do, but that it won't work," she said. "I'm afraid that I won't come home." Though her family will say that she is still the same bubbly mother, friend and wife as she was before she was diagnosed, her perspective on life has dramatically changed, she said. She looks at situations differently, and has a new-found appreciation for things she used to take for granted. "Always be there to support your friends in the good times and the bad," Hoffman said. "Having cancer makes you appreciate each day. Sometimes, I'm afraid to go to sleep because I don't want to miss anything." spoulton@vindy.com Sunday, July 16, 2006 Sabrina Hoffman thought she was going to have another baby. She went to her doctor and described pain underneath her rib... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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