Edward \u201cET\u201d Moore, who is in remission following treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer, recently organized a stem cell donor registration drive and blood drive. His life was saved through a stem cell donation by his daughter. PHOTO PROVIDED<\/p>\n
A Cape Coral veteran who battled a leukemia diagnosis with the help of his daughter is raising awareness and also helping a national entity grow its donor base.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This past weekend at Crosspoint Christian Church in Cape Coral, Edward \u201cET\u201d Moore organized a stem cell donor registration drive and blood drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The drive was to benefit DKMS, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders. Since its founding, DKMS has registered millions of potential stem cell donors worldwide and facilitated thousands of lifesaving stem cell transplants. Through donor registration drives, education and patient support, DKMS works to ensure that every patient has the opportunity to find a matching donor when they need one most.<\/p>\n
Moore and the church community reached their goal of adding 50 new registrants to the donor pool, and is hoping to continue drives like this in the future, as well as share information on how donors can submit samples on their own.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe church was doing a series the last few weeks on the topic of compassion,\u201d Moore said. \u201cAnd as part of that topic, we had blood donations on-site and we did stem cell register work with DKMS. They sent me 50 kits and we were swabbing cheeks like crazy on Sunday. We sent the kits back up north, and the next thing we look for is to hopefully hear about someone getting a match out of this drive \u2014 that somebody\u2019s life is getting saved. It\u2019s the only cure for AML.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moore, 64, unexpectedly received a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer, during a routine physical in 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a 20-year veteran in the Air Force and a retired Air Force officer, Moore served in Desert Storm. Due to his service, an annual physical is something routine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In January of \u201922, his bloodwork from the physical came back, \u201cand my white blood cell counts were just a little bit off, a little bit low,\u201d Moore said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The doctor didn\u2019t seem too concerned at the time, and a follow up was conducted four weeks later, and another weeks after that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe white count state was still low, and started to go a little lower,\u201d Moore said. \u201cThey referred me to a hematologist. They looked at the labs that were sent over, and she also wasn\u2019t too concerned, but they looked into it deeper. When we got the results, she just said, \u2018I have some bad news.’\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when Moore received his AML diagnosis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI was like, \u2018What?’\u201d Moore recalled. \u201cI\u2019m super active. I walk every day. I had no clue at all. No symptoms.<\/p>\n
\u201cLocally, the Cope Coral doctor just said the prognosis was not good. Her words were, \u2018It\u2019s not good, but miracles happen,’\u201d Moore said. \u201cAs a person of faith, I know miracles happen. I\u2019ve seen them happen. But, I didn\u2019t want to hear that from a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moore was referred to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where doctors immediately recommended a stem cell transplant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moore said with his genetics, there was an 80% chance of a donor being in the system, but after waiting for a potential match, news came that there was none in the registry.<\/p>\n
So, doctors decided to test family members, including his two daughters, who were guaranteed to at least be a half-match for Moore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both of his daughters were half matches, and his younger daughter, Elizabeth, ultimately became his donor.<\/p>\n
After Moore underwent many rounds of chemotherapy, his new stem cells from his daughter were given to him on Sept. 16, 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moore stayed in the Tampa area for months to have close access to his many appointments and follow-ups.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI had appointments just about every day for lab work and stuff, because the chance of relapse is super high right after transplant,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luckily for Moore, he was able to return to Cape Coral the week of Thanksgiving, and has been in recovery ever since. He gets bloodwork done twice each year to ensure the cancer, or any other kind, has not returned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, I\u2019m back on my Harley and I\u2019m riding all over the place and active with the American Legion,\u201d Moore said. \u201cWe ride for veteran causes and veteran suicide prevention. I\u2019m living my life again and I hug my daughter a little harder every time I see her. I can\u2019t get on her anymore about paying for college, because she\u2019s got one up on me now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He was even able to walk Elizabeth down the aisle for her wedding recently, which at one point, Moore was worried he wouldn\u2019t be able to do.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moore said he\u2019d like to get a stem cell registry going here locally, and that people can do it on their own by requesting a kit and mailing it back to DKMS.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guardrails on it are pretty narrow,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to be between 18 and 55 now. There are a bunch of yes or no checklist signs for health. Younger people are better for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut so many people wanted to donate (on Sunday). It just tells you where the hearts of people are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moore said his leukemia diagnosis was service-related from his time in Desert Storm, where he was in Saudi Arabia working as an aircraft maintenance officer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was probably from the burn pits, that would be my best guess,\u201d Moore said. \u201cI can\u2019t specifically say what it was, but certainly I was exposed to lots of running aircraft graders and aircraft chemicals. It\u2019s still happening today with Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as well. It\u2019s causing immune system and leukemia issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information on DKMS and to request a kit, visit\u00a0dkms.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n