What: “Flip You Leukemia!” Charity Flip Cup Tournament
When: March 27, 2010
Where: RFD-810 7th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (with a private entrance on 8th Street)
Time: Check in starts at 2pm, with first flip at 3pm
Cost: $10 per person if you are playing (this covers the cost of your beer during the games, if you wish to drink on the side you will need to purchase those separately). $5 for fans. *Drink specials will be available*

If you are interested in being a volunteer (judge, beer runner, or someone to keep Whitney calm) please let us know! Our last event was a great success as many of you may (or may not) remember and with your help we raised close to $1000 for Team Haupt! We will be back at RFD again with more fun, more raffles and of course more flips!

New this year, we will be hosting a bone marrow drive from 12-2pm in honor of Jonathan and other patients like him at RFD. So, please come early to register to become a bone marrow donor. Remember, a simple swab can save a life!

Please visit our Facebook page and post the name of your team on the event’s wall to reserve your spot. Team t-shirts and costumes are highly encouraged and may be rewarded. So, grab a team of 5 and we hope you and your friends, neighbors, enemies, and your mom will join us to help Flip Off Leukemia!

An update to you all is long overdue. The past 2 months post-transplant have been challenging and exhausting.  I still have GVHD of my skin and liver and the side effects have been quite painful at times — but finally have some great news to share.

The results from my day +60 bone marrow biopsy have come back 100% clean – no signs of AML!  We recently got back the genetic results giving the official good news that the leukemia is not present at the cellular level and my new cells are being generated from my donor’s stem cells.  Yes, that means I’m a female – now I can get that mani and pedi I’ve always wanted.  This is best news possible.  I’ll still be going to Hopkins 2 to 3 times a week for follow ups and transfusions.  We know there is still a long road ahead of us and the fight isn’t over yet by a long shot, but we are feeling so positive right now.

However, it’s with sadness to share with you that Jon Galinson passed away on Feb 23.  Jon had chronic leukemia and he and his family hosted many bone marrow drives in CA for both of us last year.  He will truly be missed.

Team Haupt has plans to reengage in our efforts to increase awareness about bone marrow donation and to help other blood cancer patients searching for their marrow matches, so please stay tuned for more on those efforts soon.

Love,

Jonathan and Courtney

Wishing everyone a happy New Year’s Eve. We’re kicking off the day at Hopkins with the IPOP crew. Perhaps not top on our list of ways to celebrate NYE, but suppose it’s fitting to wrap up this crazy year with one last day of treatment and a snowy commute to Baltimore add to the fun.

Sending love to all of you for helping us to climb, dance, flip and laugh our way through it.

Peace and love to all of you in 2010 ~

Beyond the snow, today’s Day 12 post-transplant. Jonathan’s dealing with lots of fatigue and nausea, but is on track overall. He’s getting lots of meds and transfusions daily, so his outpatient appointments are still pretty long. But he’s good all things considered.

Hope you’re all digging out and staying warm!

Thanks to Joseph, Sophie and Ethan & Ari for the great artwork and get well messages that are adorning our fridge right now! Sending our love to all of you.

Jonathan’s doing great and was released this afternoon for some much needed R&R at home. Tomorrow’s he’ll begin his daily outpatient routine back at Hopkins.  Lynne’s rebounding like the true champ that she is and reports that despite the discomfort she’s feeling after gifting Jonathan with a liter and a half of her bone marrow, she would be would be a donor again in a heartbeat!

Jonathan and I sent a note of thanks last week as we thought about all of you over Thanksgiving.  But today is the day we have been building towards for months, so it bears repeating just how much your love and laughter continues to mean to  us. It’s the source of strength that keeps us going. Always looking forward and up during event the most challenging times.  We know the days ahead will be challenging still, but to have gotten to this milestone today is amazing.  We’re ready to keep up the fight and see this through to the end. Today, however, is not about battling cancer, it’s about celebrating life. A celebration of Jonathan”s second chance and of the generosity and hope that Lynne and all donors represent.

With  love to all,  please join us in leaving your  Zero Birthday wishes for Jonathan!

Learn more about his fight and donor drives here.