It's hard not to be inspired by the story of today's guest.  Jim Bond is a four-time transplant survivor, dating back to his first transplant in 1993, following his 1992 diagnosis..  He's participated in a life-saving clinical trial.  In 2002, he was running out of options after his third transplant. In fact, his doctor was ready to send him  to hospice care.  But Jim wouldn't take no for an answer, travelled from Cleveland to Boston, and continued his fight.  Wouldn't you know, he was the seventh patient in the trial.  That's right. Jim Bond was patient 007. It was fate.

A decade later, Jim was diagnosed with treatment-, Jim needed to find a bone marrow match for his fourth transplant.  The website Be The Match saved his life, thanks to the bone marrow of a woman in Germany.

Jim has had to battle chronic GVHD since this fourth transplant, and he walks us through some of his symptoms, as well as what he's done to alleviate them.   And he's paying it forward, with a book and series of YouTube videos (links below).

Jim's book, applauded by many organizations, called "The Man in the Arena Surviving Multiple Myeloma since 1992" is  a wonderful gift to all of us, sure to inspire. All profits from the book go to cancer charities.

Jim's wife Kathleen founded the American Cancer Society's Pan Ohio Hope Ride, a bicycle ride across the state from Cleveland to Cincinnati.  Note: the  328 miles holds a special meaning--as you can see here on Jim's hat.

Jim Bond has been through a lot in 31 years, but he tells us it's all worth it.  He's had more time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, and been able to travel to places he'd only seen on a map.    But not every day is easy.  We close with some of Jim's strategies to fight through when the going gets tough.

Be The Match Website: https://bethematch.org/

Pan Ohio Hope Ride: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=104198

BostonSight website: https://www.bostonsightscleral.org/

Link to Jim's Book, The Man in the Arena, Surviving Multiple Myeloma since 1992:  https://arenamanbook.wordpress.com/

Jim's YouTube Page with tip videos: https://youtube.com/channel/UCqLcRQUKliWxNh_4avhBysg

You can email Jim at [email protected]

Other Resources

National Bone Marrow Transplant Link - (800) LINK-BMT, or (800) 546-5268.

nbmtLINK Website: https://www.nbmtlink.org/

nbmtLINK Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/nbmtLINK

nbmtLINK YouTube Page can be found by clicking here.

Thank you to this season's sponsors:

Supported by Pharmacyclics, an AbbVie Company (https://www.pharmacyclics.com/) and Janssen Biotech, Inc. (https://www.janssen.com/)

Incyte: https://www.incyte.com/

National Bone Marrow Transplant Link - (800) LINK-BMT, or (800) 546-5268.

nbmtLINK Website: https://www.nbmtlink.org/

nbmtLINK Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/nbmtLINK

Follow the nbmtLINK on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/nbmtlink/

The nbmtLINK YouTube Page can be found by clicking here.

To participate in the GVHD Mosaic, click here: https://amp.livemosaics.com/gvhd

This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  It is crucial to consult directly with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical conditions, treatment options, or other health concerns.

The views and opinions expressed by the speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the nbmtLINK.  Unless otherwise stated in an official policy, the nbmtLINK does not endorse any specific treatments, products, or services mentioned by the speakers. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.

The Marrow Masters Podcast is produced by JAG Podcast Productions: https://jagpodcastproductions.com/

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