The problem came at the end of June at dinner.
Nick Mondek, an anesthesiologist, died of acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer that affects blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. It was a serious topic to resolve with their son Stephen, then 9, when they had a bowl of pasta.
But Mondek requires a stem cell donor – fast. Therefore, he asked his son to save his life.
The young man agreed to take a test at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to see if he could donate stem cells to his father.
A fourth-year student at Rolling Hill Country Festival dreams of becoming a doctor on a major league baseball team, he first asked his own question: “When will we go?”
In July, Stephen became Cedar-Sinai Medical Center is the youngest known stem cell donor.
“I just wanted to help,” Stephen said.
His donation not only took his father’s time, but also hoped that Stephen’s stem cells would build a newer, stronger immune system that would help his father fight blood cancer.
“I want him to do this as his decision,” Mondeck said. “I don’t want him to feel forced. I don’t want him to feel like he has to do that.”
Nick Mondek, a 48-year-old anesthesiologist, died of acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer that affects blood-forming cells in the bone marrow that requires stem donation to rebuild his immune system. His 9-year-old son Stephen stepped in to help.
(Provided by Cedars-Sinai)
Mondek’s journey from doctor to patient began in April 2022.
At the age of 45, he was an employee of Martin Luther King Jr., who then couldn’t turn his head one day. His resting heart rate jumped from a standard 60 beats per minute to a 100 bpm car.
“As a typical hardcore doctor, I just kept writing it down,” he said. “I would take antibiotics, I would take ibuprofen and thought it was, and there was no even entertainment it could be cancer or even leukemia.”
Weeks of intolerance have led to Mondek’s simple complete blood count or CBC test. He was hospitalized within a few hours of receiving the results.
Mondek first found assistance to his brother, whose stem cell donation put Mondek’s blood cancer in relief.
However, in April, leukemia returns.
“We followed every clinical protocol, but the disease still managed to come back, so we had a new problem on our hands,” Dr. Ronald Paquette, clinical director of the Stem Cydals and Bone Marrow Transplantation Program for Cedars-Sini Cancer said in a press release. “How do we treat his cancer a second time and have a better chance of not coming back?”
Paquette and Mondek searched for genetic competitions, but were not found in his family or the national bone marrow registry.
Stephen Montek and his father Nick; mom, Danielle Boyer and brother John.
(Provided by Cedars-Sinai)
That was when Mondek chose the curve ball.
He recalls a friend who successfully fought lymphoma after his 18-year-old son received a stem cell transplant.
Paquette confirmed that Stephen, 10, last month, is likely. Stephen automatically competed in some competitions as the kids got half of their DNA from each parent.
Further tests showed that Stephen’s immune system was compatible with his father’s immune system.
Mondek’s next conversation with his son is more challenging than the initial life-saving. He must explain the ins and outs of tax preparation and procedures.
The bandage covered Stephen Mondek’s neck with a central wire catheter inserted into it to donate stem cells.
(Provided by Cedars-Sinai)
“Every day, I tell the patients about the risks and benefits before their surgery,” Mondeck said. “Obviously they are over 18 and they are adults, so they can understand the pros and cons. So, how should I talk to a 9-year-old?”
Mondek explained to his son that there will be weeks of pre-preparation, which includes shooting and blood tests. Although his son had reservations, he was not worried about anesthesia or procedures. He did have a concern.
“I don’t want to miss any time playing baseball,” said Stephen, a fan of the Chicago Cubs, a receiver for the Rolling Hills Little League baseball team.
However, due to Stephen’s age, there are special considerations. For example, normal stem cell donations are usually Non-surgical procedures In which blood is extracted from the arm through veins.
Since Stephen’s blood vessels are significantly smaller than those of adults, the doctor must find another entry point.
According to the father, Stephen arrived at the day he had the surgery at 7 a.m. and was placed in the pediatric ICU, given the general anesthesia, intubated and placed on a ventilator, and then inserted a central wire (catheter) into the neck.
Stephen was then extubated and woke up, and he rested for an hour before draining the blood and spinning it through a centrifuge for six hours to separate the stem cells.
“Donation from this young child is very rare,” said intensive care pediatrician Hoyoung Chung. “Stephen is very brave and our team makes sure everything goes well so that this little boy can help his father.”
Stephen went home that day to his father, Danielle Boyer and his younger brother, John.
His father’s recovery was not so fast.
Mondek was admitted on July 23 and spent six days in Cedars, receiving chemotherapy to suppress its immune system, thus rejecting Stephen’s cells less likely.
Mondek passed in the hospital for another two weeks to protect his fledgling and fragile immune system.
Paquette told Mondek that despite the success of the operation, it could take more than a year to determine whether his new immune system is powered by his son’s cell and could beat leukemia. Now, he just needs to wait.
On August 16, Mondeck was finally discharged from the hospital.
He drove straight to Stephen’s baseball game to catch his son’s last inning.
