Sen. Mike Carrell to Receive Stem Cell Transplant

Republican State Sen. Mike Carrell, who represents Lakewood, JBLM, University Place and Tacoma in the 28th District, is going to receive a stem cell transplant next week.

The senator has a blood condition and has been hospitalized since last month.

He posted the following message about the treatment on his Kitchen Cabinet Advisory Group, an email chain and blog that keeps him in touch with constituents:

I’m preparing to begin aggressive treatment for my MDS, a pre-leukemia condition which affects the cells in my blood and bone. All of my procedures will be outpatient at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and the treatment is scheduled to begin April 17th. It is a 100-day process that begins with low-doses of chemotherapy to lower my body’s defenses and help increase the chance that the procedure will be successful. On the 23rd, I will undergo a low dose of full body radiation and then within a few hours I will be injected with my brother’s stem cells. Doctors are hopeful that my brother’s healthy stem cells will march in and take over for the weakened marrow cells in my body.

Patch wishes Carrell the best in his procedure, and a speedy recovery!