Cheryl Bonder had been living with a vaguely defined blood malignancy for years when her prognosis rapidly took a turn for the worse: Her condition was progressing toward acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Bonder would see several specialists before meeting Dr. Gail Roboz, a professor of medicine and Director of the Clinical and Translational Leukemia Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and an associate attending physician at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, who diagnosed an aggressive myeloproliferative neoplasm, a cancer of the bone marrow.
Dr. Roboz tried a series of treatments, including drugs and, in 2013, a stem cell transplant—each buying Bonder some time. But in 2018 her condition worsened; soon, it would meet the definition of AML.
As Bonder was running out of options, a team of Weill Cornell Medicine researchers and clinicians at NewYork-Presbyterian identified an experimental drug they had co-developed that seemed almost tailor-made for her unusual form of cancer.
Within a few weeks, Bonder was in complete remission. “It’s an absolute miracle,” Bonder marvels. “I don’t know how else to describe it.”
Bonder’s case underscores the power of NewYork-Presbyterian’s innovative approach to cancer care. Our collaborative, forward-thinking research leads to new discoveries—and our commitment to personalized medicine tailors our treatment to our patients’ needs, extending their lives.
In celebration of Bonder’s 10th stem cell birthday, her daughter, Kyle, launched a community fundraiser to raise awareness for hematologic malignancies and support Dr. Roboz’s leading acute myeloid leukemia clinical research. Support like this enables us to continue to raise awareness and critical funds for this work.