1996 OUHSC Bone Marrow Transplant Reunion

A total of 347 people attended the event held at the Oklahoma City ZooPavilion on September 7, 1996. Among the participants were 65 transplantrecipients who received "Gold Medals" in the spirit of the Olympics,being true champions over the hurdles they had to go through in fightingtheir illnesses. The organizers of the reunion include Karen Eberle andthe nurses of the BMT unit of University Hospital as well as BMT CoordinatorNancy Sylvester. Each year, Karen Moore, a transplant recipient herselftakes excellent photographs of the families or patients attending the reunion.Below are some examples of her fine job!

	Anthony Hetteroth (with baseballcap) received the first allogeneic bone marrow transplant in Oklahoma atthe OUHSC program on September 27, 1982. The donor, 9 years old at thattime, was his sister now holding the plaque of appreciation she receivedfrom him with the inscription "Thanks for the Gift of my life."
	Penny Taylor-Stokesberry had her transplant for breastcancer in May 1992. She was pregnant at the time of the reunion and hada healthy baby boy Joshua Daniel on September 26, 1996.
Linda Poe (holding baby) who had her transplantfor breast cancer in March 1992 is shown with her son David and his wifeand baby boy Samuel. Linda says her grandson is the reason why "it'sgreat to be alive today."
	Dr. George Selby is the new Directorof the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at OUHSC as of July 1996. He is showto the right with his wife Margie and kids Mitchell and Preston. Dr. Romeo Mandanas is shown to the left with his wifePatrice and daughter Ashley Jordan.