Blair's Book Debut
- Actress Selma Blair revealed the gorgeous cover of her upcoming memoir which will be published in 2022; she says her stem cell transplant was a motivator for completing the book.
- Blair has multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of the body's nerves; she has used chemotherapy to treat it.
- A stem cell transplant also called a “bone marrow transplant” is a treatment used for some cancers and it replaces bone marrow with healthy cells; Blair used it to treat her MS.
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“After the stem cell transplant, I wanted to remember what I turned away from thinking about,” she writes. “My beloved mother died, and with fresh marrow recolonizing my cells, I have been given a new life. This is the maiden voyage for me. But it was through the support of my loves on here (Instagram) who have encouraged me to keep moving even in suspended grief, along with great recovery.”
Many people, like Blair, find that the diagnosis of a serious illness like MS or cancer can reinvigorate them and prompt a person to live out their dreams and live their fullest life. A life-changing diagnosis can be a helpful reminder that life is finite and fragile.
Selma’s Journey with MS
Blair was diagnosed with MS in 2018. This disease causes the immune system to eat away at the protective covering of the body's nerves. MS disrupts communication between the brain and the body. Symptoms of the disease can include vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination. Blair uses her cane to support her through the effects of MS.
Following her diagnosis, Blair took to Instagram to share the news with fans and followers. In a 2018 post discussing her illness, she wrote candidly: "I have multiple sclerosis. I am in an exacerbation…I am disabled…"
She wrote to fans, "…I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don't know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best. Since my diagnosis at ten thirty pm on The night of August 16, I have had love and support from my friends…"
Blair has used chemotherapy, a common treatment for cancer, to treat her MS.
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What is a Stem Cell Transplant?
A stem cell transplant also called a “bone marrow transplant” is a treatment used for some cancers and it replaces bone marrow with healthy cells. Blair used it to treat her MS.
A stem cell transplant also wipes out the immune system, leaving a person more vulnerable to infections. As a result, this kind of treatment requires staying away from people and avoiding certain foods that could make you sick.
Related: Recovering From A Stem Cell Transplant
In an earlier interview, Dr. Caitlin Costello, a hematologist-oncologist at UC San Diego Health, describes the process leading up to a stem cell transplant, like the one Blair had. She says, "First, we have to prove that you're as fit and healthy as we think you are, and so patients will go through a variety of testing in order to understand the strength of their heart and their lungs and their liver and their kidneys."
Related: Recovering From A Stem Cell Transplant
"And while you are going through this, your donor, if it has not been identified, is being searched for," says Dr. Costello. "That donor may be a sibling, which is what is ideal. If a sibling is not a match or unavailable, we'll be looking for an unrelated donor in a worldwide registry."
Preparing for Stem Cell Transplant
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