"Vacation Discovery: 22-Year-Old Woman Diagnosed with Rare Blood Cancer"
Johanna Mendoza, 22, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia after developing red splotches on her skin while on vacation in Mexico. She needed a blood stem cell transplant and underwent chemotherapy. Despite her twin sister and half brother not being matches, a clinical trial quickly found a partial bone marrow match for her. The trial investigated post-transplant medication to prevent graft-versus-host disease, and Mendoza's successful transplant has made her cancer-free. Catherine Vega, a stranger who donated her stem cells, shares her experience to encourage others facing challenges.