Perfect Match

Stefanie is Alpha Chi Omega’s Real Strong Woman of November

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:52:03 +0000

This month, Stefanie was selected as Alpha Chi Omega’s Real Strong Woman of the month. Continue reading to read the article.

Stefanie Sacknoff
Kappa Lambda, University of San Diego

Stefanie was recently awarded the Overcoming Challenges Award from the American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committeee. Suffering from numerous health issues since she was eight months old, including aplastic anemia and bone marrow cancer, Stefanie co-founded a non-profit organization with her mother called “Perfect Match.” Perfect Match’s mission is to increase bone marrow matches and donations by encouraging registry at routine dental visits.

Why she’s real:
My disabilities have stolen from me every aspect of normalcy possible however you would never know there was something different about me unless I told you. I’m a student, daughter, girlfriend, and friend however the compassionate, understanding, spiritual human being that I personify is a direct result of the hardships I have experienced.

Why she’s strong:
Because of my cancer and visual impairment, I did not grow up like your average child however I never allowed my disease to handicap my life. I was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a rare bone marrow disorder, when I was eight months old, which later progressed into myelodysplastic syndrome. For nineteen years, I survived on weekly blood and platelet transfusions, nightly injections to boost my immune system, and daily oral medications until I finally received a bone marrow transplant in 2007. Despite my hardships, I am determined to never let life’s obstacles stand in the way of achieving my goals.

Not on her resume:
I danced on Broadway.

Childhood ambition:
A doctor, and I still want to be in the medical field either as a doctor or physician assistant.

Proudest of:
I am most proud of the fact that through all my setbacks in life, I have never given up on the dreams and ambitions I have for myself.

Would like to have dined with:
Oprah. Under much adversity she is a woman who knows how to accomplish anything she puts her mind too and I admire what she has done with her life and fame.

Favorite quote:
“Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds because the testing of your faith develops perseverance so you may be mature and complete.” James 1:2-4

Favorite book:
I am not much of a reader outside of school but this summer I read Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., and it was very inspirational.

Favorite movies:
A Walk to Remember

Hobbies:
I love to go dancing and listening to live music.

Welcome to Perfect Match!

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:41:16 +0000

It is our mission to educate and register as many bone marrow donors as possible during their routine dental checkup at no cost. It is our hope that with the success of the program, Perfect Match will be implemented in dental offices throughout the nation thus substantially increasing the number of life saving transplants each year.

San Diego Chemist: “Congratulations to USD’s Stefanie Sacknoff – A ‘Perfect Match’!”

admin — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:12:42 +0000

The San Diego section of the American Chemical Society featured Stefanie and her Women’s Chemist Committee Overcoming Challenges award in their October issue of “The San Diego Chemist.”

Mention the word donor to a chemist and it likely evokes images of an electron-rich species. Mention the word donor to Stefanie Sacknoff and it evokes images of a stranger who likely saved her life. Stefanie is the recipient of the American Chemical Society’s 2009 Overcoming Challenges Award sponsored by the Women Chemists Committee. This national award is given to a woman undergraduate who has demonstrated that she has overcome hardships in pursuit of her education. The award was presented to Stefanie at the WCC luncheon during the ACS National Meeting in Washington, D.C., in August.

Between her classes I had the opportunity to chat with Stefanie at the University of San Diego, where she is majoring in biochemistry. We were joined by Professor Tammy Dwyer, one of her mentors and the faculty member who nominated Stefanie for the ACS award, and Renate Valois, editor of The San Diego Chemist.

Stefanie’s energy and drive belie the challenges she has had to face and continues to face. When she was eight months old she was diagnosed with thrombocytopenia, a blood disorder characterized by an abnormally low platelet count. Shortly thereafter she developed aplastic anemia, an idiopathic disease marked by low white cell, red cell and platelet counts. It could easily have been a death sentence, as it was for Marie Curie (probably the result of exposure to radiation). At age eight Stefanie started weekly blood transfusions and later began self-injections of drugs to boost her cell count and immune system. The disease progressed to myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow stem cell cancer. She and her mother, a dentist, traveled the country in search of clinical trials of experimental drugs to combat her illness.

To add insult to injury, Stefanie was diagnosed as being legally blind when she was eight years old. She has double vision and no peripheral vision. Now the good news! After searching for over 10 years, a bone marrow donor with a perfect match was found. The donor was a complete stranger, a 23-year-old nurse living in New York. The transplant, on Valentine’s Day 2007, was a success, and now Stefanie no longer needs blood transfusions. Well, there were a few other changes: along with her new immune system she now has a new blood type! And like her donor, she has a craving for coffee. She never did before the transplant!

Together with her mother, Stefanie has founded “Perfect Match”, a non-profit bone marrow donor project that aims at linking donors with recipients. Donor registration simply requires a cheek swab that can be taken at the dentist’s office. Stefanie also made a video for the San Diego Blood Bank. Her reason? She believes in “giving back”.

Today Stefanie is a vivacious young lady who modestly attributes her drive and situation to her faith in God (”God had a plan,” she said) and to her mother. And to USD! Prof. Dwyer mentioned that instructors print many of Stefanie’s class notes in 28-point type and that she pairs with another student in the lab. Her grades are “well above average” and, upon graduation next year, Stefanie has her sights set on medical training in pediatric oncology.

We congratulate Stefanie on her award, her perseverance, her positive outlook, and her accomplishments! We know that her story will continue to inspire those young people who must face life’s seemingly impossible challenges. Indeed, it is a story that should inspire us all.

-Bill Szabo

Public Relations Committee

New website launched!

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:59:23 +0000

Welcome to the new Perfect Match site! The site is still largely under construction and much is missing, but the site will be growing quickly over the next month while everything is put online.

USD: Perseverance Helps USD’s Sacknoff Overcome Challenges

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:01:26 +0000

Stefanie’s story and details about her award from the American Chemical Society were posted on the University of San Diego’s website.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” — James 1: 2-4

Stefanie Sacknoff, reflecting her favorite biblical passage above, knows perseverance. She has lived 22 years because of it. A myriad of health issues since birth have tested her, but she has approached it all with a positive spirit.

The University of San Diego biochemistry major was honored as the recipient of the Overcoming Challenges Award from the American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committee at a luncheon during the 238^th ACS National Meeting in Washington D.C.

“It was very nice to be recognized. It was a really big deal. There were 200 people there, and I had to speak,” Sacknoff said. “I met a lot of famous people in the industry, people who represented a lot of highly credible companies. They all made me feel like a celebrity. I sat at the front table with the (ACS) president, and I made some really great contacts.”

Also attending the Aug. 18 luncheon were Sacknoff’s mother, USD chemistry/biochemistry professors Tammy Dwyer, Debbie Tahmassebi and Jeremy Kua, and senior classmate Michelle Grau.

“There was a lot of pride in seeing her, in front of 200 very important people, tell her story,” Dwyer said. “She moved people. They will all remember her.”

Sacknoff suffered from aplastic anemia, a condition where bone marrow doesn’t produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells. As early as 8 months old, Sacknoff’s normal routine included weekly hospital visits for treatment. At age 8, she was diagnosed as legally blind (no peripheral vision). Before her sophomore year at USD, she was diagnosed with cancer of the bone marrow. In February 2007, she underwent a successful bone marrow transplant — thanks to a donor outside of her family — that required her to put college on hold and basically live in a Pasadena, Calif., hospital.

“I was 8 years old when I was really sick, and I was at the bottom of my disorder,” she said. Yet her desire, positive attitude and dreams were bigger. “God had a plan. I didn’t know it yet, but I felt I was going through all of this so I can be a doctor and can relate to the kids who are going through the same thing.”

She has been an inspirational speaker for the San Diego Blood Bank since high school, including a chance to speak with the San Diego Chargers football team about the importance of donating blood. Her presence at such meetings is aimed at helping put a face on the people they’re helping. She and her mother have recently started a non-profit organization called Perfect Match (www.perfectmatchproject.org) to raise awareness about the need for bone marrow donors.

Her education remains an important bridge to her career aspirations. Sacknoff, two classes shy of achieving senior student status, wants to graduate from USD in 2010 and is researching potential medical schools to attend.

Sacknoff said there were many instances in which she missed class time because of her frequent treatments. The San Diego native said she’s happy she came to USD. A general chemistry class her freshman year with James Bolender solidified a decision on her major area of study, but being at USD has been consistent in its support of her needs.

“I needed to be close to my doctors, my mom and my support system,” she said. “USD has been the best fit for me with its smaller class sizes and the fact that every class is taught by a professor. The people here are some of the most helpful people I’ve ever met. They’ve made a lot of accommodations for me. I don’t think I would have been as successful at other places.”

Dwyer told Sacknoff about the ACS award opportunity. Dwyer said she wasn’t planning to attend the ACS conference, but when Sacknoff won the award, Dwyer was thrilled to attend.

“She’s so remarkable,” said Dwyer, who has been one of Sacknoff’s professors and oversaw her during a research project. “It’s inspiring working with someone with so much drive. She’s a tremendous person.”

— Ryan T. Blystone