Published: Sat, October 4, 2014 @ 12:09 a.m.

By EMMALEE C. TORISK

etorisk@vindy.com

STRUTHERS

Missy Ginnetti began to tear up as she re-read a typed letter from her bone-marrow donor.

Sitting at her kitchen table, with her husband, Mahoning County Engineer Pat Ginnetti, across from her, Missy explained that she doesnt know anything specific a name, an occupation, a city of residence about her donor. In fact, any bits of potentially revealing information, no matter how seemingly minute or insignificant, were blacked out of the letter.

What wasnt, however, was her donors closing: Sincerely, The other part of your marrow.

I wrote back, Dear All of my marrow, Missy said, laughing.

Its true. Within 30 days of her allogeneic stem-cell transplant in late March, Missys body had accepted 100 percent of the donor cells something that often doesnt happen for up to a year afterward.

Now, more than four years after Missys initial diagnosis of stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma, life for the Ginnettis is beginning to move closer to normal once again. The next big thing, she said, is undergoing tests and scans within the next couple of weeks that will reveal whether cancer cells [are] showing up anywhere.

Excerpt from:
Unknown donor helps Struthers woman through cancer battle