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Erik Ludwinski

Erik, Mary, Phoebe, Tabitha, and Elijah at TIME TO FLY!!!!
(click "view photos" for more pics)

Thanks to all the generous donors Erik and Team raised $2628 for ped cancer research!!! and the entire event raised over $175,000!!!!


See the article printed in Nov 2008 about ERIK!

see graph with Treatment and Response since 2nd Relapse


PLEASE PRAISE GOD FOR ERIK
AND PRAY FOR HEALING!

Isaiah 58:8
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

CLICK THE BARS below to expand or collapse the "extras"....

Art

Click on photo for more art!

ERIK'S WEBSITE
Video and photos
See Erik's graduation slide show--or click for
full screen


Click PLAY below to hear Erik tell his story!
Neuroblastoma Conference Chicago 2007



Erik's Disney Trip photos...courtesy of LUNCH FOR LIFE!
SEE PHOTOS
History
Dec 27, 1991
Erik was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma (cancer of the sympathetic nervous system) at 6 years old

He was in remission and very healthy for 13 years

May 12, 2005
Erik was diagnosed with recurrent neuroblastoma at 20 years old in bone and marrow

He was in remission for one year

Nov 10, 2006
Erik relapsed again at 21 years old in bone and marrow


FRONTLINE TREATMENT (1991-1992)
for high-risk neuroblastoma at Dana Farber and Boston Children's (right adrenal primary, bone+bone marrow packed, MYCN non-amp, 1p del, poor histology, diploid DNA):
9 rounds chemo, surgery, 16 doses radiation to abdomen, autologous bone marrow transplant, no retinoids or antibodies

TREATMENT FOR FIRST RELAPSE (2005-2006):
two rounds dox/vin/cyclo and four rounds topo/cyclo at MeritCare Fargo, ND and U of MN.
Erik was the world's first patient to undergo a stem cell transplant with head-to-toe total marrow irradiation conditioning (included busulfan, melphalan, and thiotepa) at University of Minnesota-Fairview in Minneapolis (Nov 2005).
He was on high-dose 13-cis-retinoic acid (Accutane) for 6 months.

He was again in remission for one year

FOR SECOND RELAPSE (2006-2009):
Nov and Dec 2006: two courses of hu14.18-IL2 antibody trial (Phase II), but progressed with skull, spine, pelvis, and femur involvement, and bone marrow biopsy showed 70% NB
Jan 15, 2007: began IV irinotecan (2 weeks) + oral temozolomide (1 week) and had a miraculous response after two courses!!!
Feb 20 & 21, 2007: scans dramatically improved, bone marrow biopsies clear!!!
March 2007: one more round irino+temo
April 26, 2007: scans were again significantly improved, only two light spots remain in pelvis, two light spots in spine, faint uptake in femurs, and small amount in marrow
Mar 23 to Aug 15, 2007: no treatment
July 31, 2007: scans showed five spots in spine, one spot in pelvis, femurs clear, and biopsy (right side) positive
Aug 15, 2007:started new oral formulation of fenretinide (Phase I trial); completed 2 rounds
Sept 24, 2007: scans show more progression in skeletal system, especially entire spine
Oct 2007: two rounds of irino+temo with Celebrex
Nov 2007: great improvement in scans again (few spots in spine, pelvis, femur)
Dec 2007 and Jan 2008: two more rounds of irino + temo with Celebrex

Jan 31 & Feb 1, 2008: scans "borderline normal" with faint uptake remaining in marrow, and bone marrow biopsies clear!!!
Mar & April 2008: two more rounds of irino + temo with Celebrex; also gallbladder surgery (2/21) and another hospitalization (3/29 to 4/1) for fever
May 2008: PET/CT normal; bone marrow biopsy positive (NB<3 percent) on left side (right sample inadequate); start COMBAT (calendar) or see simplified diagram of COMBAT May 19--oral drugs Accutane, Celebrex, etoposide, temozolomide varied combos on 78 day cycle
Aug 2008: PET/CT clear, and < 1 percent NB in marrow! Continue on COMBAT, 2nd cycle (3 months)
Nov 2008: PET/CT clear, no biopsy performed (too difficult to obtain adequate sample); begin 3rd cycle COMBAT

Feb 2009:No biopsies; no PET/CT (CT of abdomen clear); HVA/VMA normal but slightly higher; start 4th cycle of COMBAT; next eval May 2009
May 2009:PET/CT shows new spot in pelvis near right hip (SUV 5.8); bone marrow biopsies still positive with <1 percent NB; HVA/VMA normal but slightly higher; start 1st cycle of year 2 of COMBAT; next eval Aug 2009--see graph with Treatment and Response since 2nd Relapse
Quote
What Erik says about his cancer experience:
"It took away my job, but it gave me better values.
It took my hearing, but it gave me an appreciation for what I can hear.
It took some of my feeling, but it gave me more compassion for others.
It took my stamina, but it gave me a willingness to serve.
It took away a lot of fun I could have had, but it gave me a love for life.
It took my muscles, but it gave me a bigger heart.
It took my spirit, but gave me a stronger one in its place.
It took part of my life, but it gave me an experience I don't regret."
Friends

Please also pray for Anna, who is the same age as Erik
and has neuroblastoma as well.
She has been continuously treated for the past
7 years
her website is www.annabanana.org

Also, urgent prayers are needed for Wyatt, Nick, Will, Sam, Peter, Paige, Andrew, Dalton, Mary, and many other friends fighting neuroblastoma and other pediatric cancers.

And please pray for those parents trying to keep going without their little ones: Lucas, Anna Meg, Tyler, Austin, Emily, Spencer and Joe (26), Janie, Katie, Max, Arden, Erin and Amber Dugan (carepages) among so many more.....

see organizations raising money for neuroblastoma research and other pediatric cancers


[Click here to find out more]
CNCF

Magic Water
Solving Kids' Cancer


Contact

My Facebook page:

Check out the PHOTOS in "view photos"...and
PLEASE SIGN THE GUEST BOOK!

Psalms 31:7
"I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul."


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Journal

Monday, June 29, 2009 10:26 AM CDT

What a wonderful weekend!

We cannot thank you enough for your tremendous support for Erik and his team, and we were incredibly blessed to have Erik's college friends Phoebe, Tabitha, and Elijah join us for the weekend, as well as Mary Virnig who left EARLY and drove two hours through torrential rain to join us in the 5K walk!!! We were so amazed she came since she also had a wedding to attend...wow!!! She has been battling NB for 3 years, and we covet your prayers for this beautiful young lady--her counts need to climb and stay up...please please pray!!!! And pray for her complete healing from NB!!!

Elijah and Phoebe worked many days on the awesome shirts he designed! THANK YOU Elijah!!!

We were so pleased to see Dr Neglia after he finished the 5K run, and saw our wonderful NP Jody! We also saw another favorite—Dr Mulrooney and his adorable children!

Grandma Lou (my mom) joined us for the weekend and we had a blast visiting Como Zoo, Art Museum, walking around the U of M campus, and outdoor market in St Paul and Capitol tour. Fun!!!

If you are on facebook—check out the photos! I’ll post more here too later.

So, a new busy week. Poor Erik has been climbing “his Mount Everest of homework” as Phoebe so aptly put it…it has been very difficult to manage such concentrated studies. We pray Erik can finish strong—papers due and FINALS on Thursday! Next session (month of July, starts next Monday) Erik has one class instead of two…should hopefully mean more summer fun and a little less studying required!!!!

Thank you all so much for your long-lasting support and care for Erik. We are so blessed. Please pray for Erik to remain painfree, and good numbers from tumor marker next week (HVA/VMA) and for Mary Virnig. Also little Mary O’Keefe…she finished transplant not long ago and now has significant disease progression. www.caringbridge.org/visit/maryokeefe

Great blessings,
Donna

PS I encourage you to take two minutes to watch this video of a young man who continues to inspire...even after osteosarcoma claimed him at 21 years old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ctji8L5IKI

thank you 1
thank you 2

Read Journal History


Sign and view the guestbook
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View personal photos

View Photos

Hospital Information:

Fairview--University of Minnesota
500 Harvard Street SE
Minneapolis MN 55455

Links:

http://www.gosteve.org   Erik's friend Steve--both were NDSU students when diagnosed with cancer in Spring of 2005
http://www.beebo.info/ned/nedwarriors.html   NB kids
http://www.nbhope.org/   NB research, information, conferences, and more


 

E-mail Author: ludfarm@arvig.net

 
 

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