The “Vanderpump Rules” family is sticking together and supporting one of their own through cancer.
“Today I was diagnosed with Leukemia,” Jared Lipscomb, 31, makeup artist for many of the women of Bravo’s “Vanderpump Rules” show, shared in an August 2019 Instagram post. “Hearing it was surreal. But after many tears, and hugs from my mom, I’m ready for the next steps … starting treatment immediately,” he wrote.
Read More"Vanderpump Rules" is about Lisa Vanderpump's West Los Angeles restaurant and the raucous group who runs it. The Vanderpump gang — Stassi Schroeder, Ariana Madix, Dina Manzo, Lala Kent, Brittany Cartwright, and Lauren Wirkus — quickly sprang into action to support Lipscomb.
Before Social-Distancing: An Escape
Just before his stem-cell transplant — and before the coronavirus outbreak forced widespread quarantines – Brittany Cartwright and Kristen Doute treated their favorite makeup artist to a Las Vegas getaway, complete with spa day and Christina Aguilera’s concert in Sin City.
“If you don't know @jaredlips story he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia,” Cartwright wrote in a March 5 Instagram post, “and finally found a match for his bone marrow transplant which will cure him of his cancer.”
“The recovery is about 4 months and he goes in TOMORROW to start the transplant process, sooooo we wanted to spoil the heck out of him in Vegas!!” Cartwright explained. “I'm so lucky to know Jared and witness his strength! He is always so happy and so positive and I wish there were more people like him in this world. â¤ï¸ Send all the love and prayers to Jared as he continues his journey and KICKS CANCERS ASS!!!”
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Undergoing a stem cell transplant involves several steps of preparation. We spoke with Dr. Caitlin Costello of the University of California San Diego to find out what to expect before a transplant:
Dr. Caitlin Costello of the University of California San Diego explains the process of harvesting stem cells before a transplant.
While Lipscomb’s transplant relied on donated stem cells, many patients use their own. When preparing for an autologous stem cell transplant, the first step is to stimulate the production of healthy stem cells in the patient’s own bone marrow. This is done through the injection of growth factors into the blood via IV. This is an outpatient procedure, which takes place over the course of 4-7 days. During this time, the bones go into growth overdrive. As a result, patients may feel joint pain or body aches.
Next, doctors begin processes called Stem Cell Mobilization and Stem Cell Harvest. During these steps, they draw blood through a catheter or IV out of the body and into a machine that separates out the stem cells from the rest of your blood, which gets put back into the patient’s body.
This process can be repeated until doctors have as many stem cells as they need. Then, stem cells are put in the freezer and saved for the “magic” of stem cell transplant: chemotherapy for the cells.
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