“What happens when you’re diagnosed with a disease you’ve never heard of – Myelodysplastic Syndrome”
Blending facts, fears, and witty remarks, this blog is a cleverly written commentary on one man’s experience with MDS. A freelance writer from New Jersey, Mitch started his blog when he initially found out he had MDS back in spring 2009, and in it he details facts and figures about the disease, addresses the rollercoaster ride of coping with cancer, and offers inspiration in…

On “My Life Post-Cancer,” Roger Contreras reports about his life as a myelodysplastic syndromes patient who underwent a donor stem cell transplant. He shares his thoughts and worries about the implications of the disease and informs his readers about upcoming fund raising events and blood drives. Contreras was diagnosed with MDS in July 2008 at the age of 40.  He is also the author of the blog “I Have MDS”, which he started soon after diagnosis and maintained until…

Shirley Bulloch was diagnosed with MDS in June 2000 and started blogging about her experiences later that year. She received a stem cell transplant on March 15, 2003, the day she calls her re-birthday. Now cured of her MDS, Bulloch continues to update her blog with details about her life and her recovery from side effects caused by the stem cell transplant.

This blog represents information compiled and initially published by Rex Birch during the period from 1998 to 2001 when he suffered from MDS. Unfortunately, he died on June 19, 2001 of a heart attack following a hip replacement operation, not the direct result of an MDS-related cause. His son, Ian, tries to update the site with information from time to time. He hopes to help others with his father’s content, which is intended for beginning readers.

Fifty-four year old Becky is an Alabama resident currently fighting MDS and often blogs not only to keep her family up-to-date on her condition, but also to muse about her travel photographs, recipes, and love of cooking. Her blog is interactive, colorful, and full of fun surveys and clipart. She also includes links to her friends’ blogs and other blogs that are not MDS related.

Krissy Kobata was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes in 2008 at the age of 28.  She is currently trying to find a donor for a stem cell transplant. Krissy is involved with Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches, an organization that seeks to recruit people of Asian descent into bone marrow registries.  Krissy’s blog is updated a few times per month with information about upcoming marrow drive events and fundraisers as well as personal experiences.

Yoko was diagnosed with melodysplastic syndromes in September of 2009, and in May of 2010 found that she would likely need a bone marrow transplant. Yoko blogs in Japanese, and her daughter and husband co-blog in English to help explain medical information and discuss the disease from a multicultural view. They post every few days and offer a perspective from a minority and immigrant MDS patient in America.