Television personality Robin Roberts has disclosed that she has Myelodysplastic Syndrome, which can qualify an individual to receive long-term disability benefits.
Myelodysplastic syndromes, commonly referred to as MDS, are not easily categorized. They encompass numerous different diseases and are a group of blood and bone marrow disorders. In MDS, stem cells do not mature normally. As such, the number of blasts (immature cells) and dysplastic (abnormally developed) cells increases. Meanwhile, the number of healthy mature cells goes down. This causes fewer normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Because of the lower healthy cell count, individuals with MDS often experience anemia (low red blood cell count). They may also have neutropenia, a low white blood cell count, and thrombocytopenia, a low number of platelets. Patients may also have abnormalities in the chromosomes in the bone marrow cells.
There are several MDS subtypes, some of which may turn into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML is a blood cancer in which immature cells called blasts increase and grow uncontrollably.
Although there is a lot of cytogenetic and molecular heterogeneity, oncologists and researchers are beginning to learn that some of these molecular factors affect prognosis and how patients respond to therapy.
Roberts is a co-host on ABC’s Good Morning America. In 2012, she announced that she had started conditioning therapy to prepare for an allogeneic bone marrow transplant later that year. As for a marrow donor, her sister was an “excellent match.”
According to the American Cancer Society, MDS affects just over 10,000 people annually in the U.S. If you have MDS, you may be eligible for long-term disability insurance benefits if your condition keeps you from being able to work. Call us at (888) 321-8131 to discuss how individuals with MDS may be eligible for disability benefits.
