Blood and Marrow Transplant Reunion at Tropicana Field
Former Bone Marrow Transplant patient Anthony (far right) and his family.
The large crowd enjoying the party at Tropicana Field.
It was billed as an All-Star Reunion at Tropicana Field on Saturday November 10th. But the “stars” weren’t chosen for their ERA’s or batting averages. They share life-saving experiences as transplant recipients from Blood & Marrow Transplant Programs at All Children’s Hospital and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute. The two hospitals invited patients, their family and friends to join the staff for a joyful reunion – turning “the Trop” into a “field of miracles” for one Saturday afternoon.
More than a thousand guests enjoyed a picnic-style lunch, some baseball-related games and activities, and the chance to catch up with the doctors, nurses and staff who'd taken care of them and their families through a most difficult time in their lives. Among them, 33 patients who underwent their transplants at All Children's Hospital. Many still count their days "post-transplant" - and all totaled, All Children's reunion patients have racked up 232 years of post-transplant life.
These families know first-hand about the high quality of care offered in All Children’s Blood & Marrow Transplant Program. Now there’s independent confirmation. In May of this year, the non-profit Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) awarded joint accreditation to All Children’s program and to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute’s transplant program. The joint accreditation illustrates the strength of commitment between All Children’s and Moffitt in collaborating to advance care and research for patients of all ages.
