I\u2019ve always wanted to have children. It\u2019s something I\u2019ve known about myself from a very young age.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, when I found out the treatment<\/a> I needed for myelodysplastic syndrome<\/a> (MDS) would almost certainly put me into chemotherapy<\/a>-induced menopause<\/a>, I had to make some decisions.<\/p>\n Fortunately, I was already at UT MD Anderson when the time came to make them. And, with the help of UT MD Anderson\u2019s Leukemia Center<\/a> and Oncofertility Clinic<\/a>, I\u2019m now both cancer-free<\/a> and the mother of a five-week-old son.<\/p>\n My myelodysplastic syndrome diagnosis<\/p>\n I was only 25 when I was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of bone marrow disorder. Looking back now, I actually had some symptoms<\/a>. But I chalked up my constant exhaustion<\/a> to a combination of exercise, going out with friends and working long hours to open a new preschool.<\/p>\n I only found out I had MDS when I went to my local doctor here in Philadelphia. I\u2019d requested a food allergy<\/a> test for an unrelated gastrointestinal issue. When he drew my blood, he noticed it was the wrong color, so he quietly ordered a complete blood count<\/a>, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n It turned out that I was extremely anemic<\/a>. I had hardly any circulating red blood cells. My doctor ordered a bone marrow biopsy<\/a> to find out why. The results showed I had MDS.\u00a0<\/p>\n How I got to UT MD Anderson<\/p>\n There\u2019s\u00a0no\u00a0history of cancer<\/a>\u00a0in my\u00a0family.\u00a0And,\u00a0my\u00a0first appointment with a local oncologist was still months away, which made me think there was no real urgency. I was also told that MDS is just\u00a0a precursor\u00a0to\u00a0leukemia<\/a>, not full-fledged cancer. I felt fine. So, I wasn\u2019t very concerned.\u00a0<\/p>\n But when my mom got home\u00a0after\u00a0my\u00a0biopsy, she started doing some research.\u00a0She quickly learned that this\u00a0rare disease<\/a>\u00a0is now considered\u00a0cancer.\u00a0She also learned that UT MD Anderson\u2019s\u00a0Dr. Guillermo Garcia-Manero<\/a>\u00a0is one of the world\u2019s top\u00a0experts.\u00a0A close family friend helped us\u00a0schedule\u00a0a\u00a0second opinion<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n From Dr. Garcia-Manero, we learned that MDS primarily occurs in men over age 65. He recommended I begin treatment right away with an immunotherapy<\/a> drug called lenalidomide. He also suggested I get tested for an allogeneic stem cell transplant<\/a> and start looking around for possible donor matches in my family. That\u2019s when it hit me that this was serious.\u00a0<\/p>\n Elle Crofton with her newborn son, Harry<\/p>\n Why I requested an oncofertility consultation<\/p>\n Even back then, I knew that chemotherapy could negatively affect my fertility. I asked Dr. Garcia-Manero if immunotherapy did the same. He said no, so I started taking the drug. For the two years I stayed on it, I continued\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0regular periods<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Once the drug stopped working, though, Dr. Garcia-Manero told me it was time for the stem cell transplant. I knew that process would involve a lot of strong chemotherapy. I requested a consultation with an oncofertility specialist first.\u00a0<\/p>\n Helping me make the best choice<\/p>\n Fertility is a\u00a0pretty\u00a0personal subject to discuss with\u00a0anyone, much less\u00a0a stranger.\u00a0But\u00a0Dr. Terri Woodard<\/a>\u00a0made me feel really comfortable.\u00a0She was upfront about the chances of each option working and laid out the facts very clearly, but in a gentle, non-judgmental way. She made me feel so welcome, understood and accepted.\u00a0<\/p>\n In the end, freezing my eggs seemed like the best choice. I\u2019m super glad now that I did it. I had just enough time to go through one cycle of egg retrieval before a match was identified through\u00a0the\u00a0national bone marrow registry<\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0stem cell transplant. I had the transplant in May 2015, and it went very smoothly. I\u2019ve been in\u00a0full remission<\/a>\u00a0ever\u00a0since.\u00a0<\/p>\n Grateful for\u00a0UT MD Anderson\u2019s\u00a0expertise and guidance<\/p>\n I\u2019ve\u00a0been cancer-free for so long now that\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0considered to be\u00a0in\u00a0survivorship<\/a>.\u00a0That means I still need periodic check-ups, but only from a regular doctor. I haven\u2019t been back to\u00a0UT MD Anderson\u00a0since 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n Still,\u00a0Dr. Woodard\u00a0played such\u00a0a big\u00a0role\u00a0in my life\u00a0\u2014 and my\u00a0child\u2019s\u00a0\u2014\u00a0that it felt\u00a0totally natural\u00a0to invite her to my baby shower\u00a0when I was in Houston last November. After all, Dr. Woodard is the reason my son exists.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u00a0wanted her to see what she had a hand in creating, and to thank her for being so kind to me during such a crazy time in my life. She really is a lovely person. And I am very grateful.\u00a0<\/p>\n