Your Fans Are With You
Soccer legend Mia Hamm has been a passionate advocate for the bone marrow transplant (BMT) community since she lost her brother after he underwent a BMT more than 25 years ago.
I lost my brother Garrett in 1997 due to complications following a bone marrow transplant, or a BMT, that we hoped could cure his rare bone marrow disease. Losing Garrett profoundly impacted my life’s mission and that’s when I became an advocate for people in need of BMTs.
For many people undergoing a BMT, their fight doesn’t end after the transplant. While a BMT might cure their condition, there are serious complications that could follow—such as graft-versus-host disease, also known as GVHD.
GVHD is a life-threatening and potentially chronic condition that occurs when donor cells attack the recipient's organs and tissues after a BMT. The damage caused by GVHD can severely impact a person’s daily life, and for some, it can even be deadly.
Through partnerships like this one, we aim to raise awareness of GVHD as a potential complication of a BMT and its signs and symptoms. Early action to manage GVHD and its symptoms may help prevent long-term consequences.
Throughout my professional soccer career, my fans motivated me to fight my hardest, even in the toughest moments. Similarly, my family was by my brother Garrett’s side after he got sick and as he prepared for his BMT. We, along with his friends and his healthcare team, were his fans—cheering him on and encouraging him to keep fighting.
We want to remind those with GVHD that their fans—including those of us at Incyte—are here to support them.
Watch the video below and visit GVHDNow.com to learn more.
