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Lindsay Annette Ferneau

Lindsay was born on the morning of August 14, 1991 in Rockford, Illinois. She was the typical child who enjoyed swimming and being with her friends. Lindsay took dancing lessons and performed in dance recitals. She was looking forward to learning to ride a "two-wheeler" bicycle, losing her first baby tooth and starting first grade.

During late fall of 1994, Lindsay complained of her head hurting and started to exhibit easy bruising. After having a sample of bone marrow taken in December 1994, leukemia was ruled out and Lindsay was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia.

Aplastic Anemia is a condition where a person’s body does not produce enough blood cells. Low red blood cells will prevent the body from getting enough oxygen, low white cells allows infection easier, and low platelets allow the body to bruise or bleed easier.

After several monthly blood samples and semi-annual bone marrow biopsies, Lindsay’s blood and bone marrow showed a sudden decrease. In July 1997, Lindsay’s diagnosis was changed to Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or MDS. MDS is a condition where the body all but stops making blood.

Lindsay’s options for treatment of MDS were either a bone marrow transplant, or chemotherapy in hope of restarting her blood production. Chemotherapy was the option and Lindsay started treatments in July 1997. Lindsay breezed through her chemotherapy treatments, but had trouble fighting off infections. After chemotherapy, her body no longer had white blood cells to fight infections, so Lindsay received antibiotics on a regular basis.

Lindsay lost the battle to infection on a stormy evening, September 17, 1997.

Towards the end, the only thing that Lindsay wanted was to "get better," which is the desire of all children who endure this very difficult treatment. A memorial fund has been established in Lindsay’s name to support the expense of blood and bone marrow donations, in the hope of helping all children get better.

Please visit and donate to the following support organizations

	Aplastic Anemia Foundation of America http://www.aplastic.org/
	Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation® http://www.candlelighters.org/
	Make-A-Wish® Foundation of America http://www.wish.org/
	National Children’s Cancer Foundation http://www.nccf.org/
	National Marrow Donor Program http://www.marrow.org/

 

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