My name is Luan Smathers & I want to
tell you about my brother, Barry Burton
(all his friends & family call him "Byrd").
Most of you don't know that he was
diagnosed with Myleodysplastic
Syndrome (a rare form of blood cancer)
in 1999 but fought hard to get the
disease into remission. He had been in
remission for over 7 years, but in
May 2007 he was informed that the
leukemia had returned. His only chance for
survival now is induction chemotherapy to
try to get the leukemia in remission,
followed by a stem cell transplant to
rebuild his bone marrow. He will be in
Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville and his
treatment will take approximately 6-9
months. He has already been through the
only available treatment, which is a
specialized kind of chemotherapy, and a
clinical trial of growth inhibitors to try to
get his marrow to produce blood cells.
Basically, his marrow just doesn't produce
blood cells anymore & the doctors feel this
tell you about my brother, Barry Burton
(all his friends & family call him "Byrd").
Most of you don't know that he was
diagnosed with Myleodysplastic
Syndrome (a rare form of blood cancer)
in 1999 but fought hard to get the
disease into remission. He had been in
remission for over 7 years, but in
May 2007 he was informed that the
leukemia had returned. His only chance for
survival now is induction chemotherapy to
try to get the leukemia in remission,
followed by a stem cell transplant to
rebuild his bone marrow. He will be in
Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville and his
treatment will take approximately 6-9
months. He has already been through the
only available treatment, which is a
specialized kind of chemotherapy, and a
clinical trial of growth inhibitors to try to
get his marrow to produce blood cells.
Basically, his marrow just doesn't produce
blood cells anymore & the doctors feel this
leukemia in 1999.
Just to give you an idea of his current medical situation, he has been in the hospital over
30 times since August 2007 and received more than 60 pints of red blood cells and over
175 units of platelets. He goes to the doctor every week and his blood transfusions are
now almost every week. The doctor says the transfusions will get more frequent and
eventually won't work without the stem cell transplant.
Many of you who knew he was sick have asked "what you we do to help?". We have been
reluctant to ask for anyone’s help until now, but as you can imagine, his medical bills are
astronomical and we are still trying to pay his 2007 medical expenses and now find
ourselves in a new year with the co-pays starting over again. He has no prescription
medical coverage and Vanderbilt Hospital has told us we need to have $35,000
deposited with them just to cover his prescriptions for the 6 months following the
stem cell transplant before they will begin the process.
A fund raising account has been set up at First Tennessee Bank for people who would
like to make tax deductible charitable donations to help with his medical expenses. If
you know anyone that has been asking how they can help and want to make monetary
donations, here is the information:
Name of Account: The Barry "Byrd" Burton Benefit Fund
Deposits can be made at any First Tennessee Bank across the state.
(if you have any problems with local branch donations please refer your
branch manager to the Hendersonville-Main street branch manager.)
Or
Mail checks to:
First Tennessee Bank
429 West Main Street
Hendersonville, TN 37075
Your contributions are tax deductible so please keep copies of your canceled checks
for your records when filing 2008 Tax Returns.
Byrd and I CANNOT TELL YOU how much we appreciate the out pouring of
care, support, phone calls, e-mails, cards, letters and prayers for him. It has truly been
AMAZING!! (Now there's another meaning to "The Amazing Rhythm Aces" for me.)
Please add him to your prayer request list at church and keep him in your prayers.
Trusting in Christ!
Luan
Just to give you an idea of his current medical situation, he has been in the hospital over
30 times since August 2007 and received more than 60 pints of red blood cells and over
175 units of platelets. He goes to the doctor every week and his blood transfusions are
now almost every week. The doctor says the transfusions will get more frequent and
eventually won't work without the stem cell transplant.
Many of you who knew he was sick have asked "what you we do to help?". We have been
reluctant to ask for anyone’s help until now, but as you can imagine, his medical bills are
astronomical and we are still trying to pay his 2007 medical expenses and now find
ourselves in a new year with the co-pays starting over again. He has no prescription
medical coverage and Vanderbilt Hospital has told us we need to have $35,000
deposited with them just to cover his prescriptions for the 6 months following the
stem cell transplant before they will begin the process.
A fund raising account has been set up at First Tennessee Bank for people who would
like to make tax deductible charitable donations to help with his medical expenses. If
you know anyone that has been asking how they can help and want to make monetary
donations, here is the information:
Name of Account: The Barry "Byrd" Burton Benefit Fund
Deposits can be made at any First Tennessee Bank across the state.
(if you have any problems with local branch donations please refer your
branch manager to the Hendersonville-Main street branch manager.)
Or
Mail checks to:
First Tennessee Bank
429 West Main Street
Hendersonville, TN 37075
Your contributions are tax deductible so please keep copies of your canceled checks
for your records when filing 2008 Tax Returns.
Byrd and I CANNOT TELL YOU how much we appreciate the out pouring of
care, support, phone calls, e-mails, cards, letters and prayers for him. It has truly been
AMAZING!! (Now there's another meaning to "The Amazing Rhythm Aces" for me.)
Please add him to your prayer request list at church and keep him in your prayers.
Trusting in Christ!
Luan
| Byrd & Luan |
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BYRD'S STORY
Byrd's Story
