In 2016, University of Washington sociology professor and mother of two Alexes Harris was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a type of cancer where the blood-producing cells in a patient’s bone marrow became abnormal and create blood cells that don’t function properly. Alexes underwent chemotherapy treatment to reach remission, but when it came time to find a suitable bone marrow donor, her improving condition met a health equity wall: Her mixed race background meant the chances of finding a donor were slim at best.
After learning that all her family members – including her fraternal twin brother – were ineligible to be her donor, Alexes and her husband drove to an appointment with her transplant doctor at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (now Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center). They thought they’d be signing a consent form for a mixed-match transplant. But instead, they met Dr. Filippo Milano, whose clinical trial with cord blood transplants offered another option, one that would make the happiest moment of two families’ lives the best moment of hers too.