10,000th Bone Marrow Transplant Gives Sarasota Man a Second Chance
Barich plays beach volleyball every chance he gets.
Sarasota is the perfect place for Glenn Barich, 59, who thrives on being outdoors year-round. The mortgage loan officer loves to play sports and isn’t afraid to tackle home renovations in his spare time.
Barich had no idea he would go from playing pickleball and volleyball on the beach to hearing he had leukemia within 48 hours.
“It was like going from zero to 100 overnight,” Barich said. “I still feel young at heart. It was just a complete shock.”
From Paper Cut to Diagnosis
It started with a small paper cut on his finger. Within days, swelling spread up his arm and his energy was zapped. A walk-in clinic sent him to a local hospital for IV antibiotics. That’s when he realized his white blood cell count was nearly 12 times the normal range — a strong indicator of leukemia.
“I had no time to prepare mentally or physically,” Barich said. “One moment I was active and living my normal life, and the next, I was in the hospital starting treatment.”
Barich’s wife works at the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, where two of her colleagues had bone marrow transplants at Moffitt Cancer Center. They are both doing well today. When Barich’s local hospital recommended he transfer to Moffitt, he knew it was the right choice.
Facing Leukemia Head-On
Rory Shallis, MD
Barich was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow. At Moffitt, he immediately began induction chemotherapy led by Rory Shallis, MD, of the Malignant Hematology Department with the goal of rapidly reducing the number of cancer cells in his body.
It provided temporary control of his blood cancer. Because tests at diagnosis showed the cancer was more likely to return, he needed a bone marrow transplant for a true chance of cure.
This means removing his immune system — and then replacing his bone marrow with an entirely new blood and marrow system from a donor.
The Malignant Hematology team consulted the Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy team. His BMT providers recommended a novel clinical trial using a sophisticated way of treating his acute myeloid leukemia with stem cell transplantation, according to Sayeef Mirza, MD, of Moffitt’s Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy. As his primary BMT hematologist, Mirza worked with Taiga Nishihori, MD, who is Moffitt’s site lead investigator, to get Barich enrolled on this trial.
Taiga Nishihori, MD
The trial’s goal is to reduce graft-versus-host disease, a serious complication for people receiving a stem cell transplant from a donor. When the donor’s immune system takes over, it may see the patient’s own body as foreign and attack — leading to inflammation of the skin and several vital organs manifesting as a wide range of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, among several others.
Barich was randomized to have a novel graft manipulation in which naive T cells are removed from the donor/transplant graft. The hope is that removing the naive T cells may lead to a safer and more effective way of preventing graft-versus-host disease. This could help improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.
The journey wasn’t easy. His measurable residual disease had to be addressed as a bridge to transplant. Eight spinal taps, multiple bone marrow biopsies and coordination between all the tests related to donor, patient and other ancillary departments truly strained Barich’s resolve. But with the careful coordination of a group of trial and clinical nurse coordinators, and the oversight of pharmacy, sponsor and trial investigators, as well as the support of his wife and family, he stayed the course.
10,000th Transplant Milestone
Moffitt Cancer Center’s Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Highlights
- 10,000 transplants completed since the program began
- 400+ transplants annually, one of the highest volumes nationwide
- 78% one-year survival rate for allogeneic transplants (above national average)
- Access for adults up to age 70 and older, expanding eligibility
A Gift From a Stranger
A 23-year-old male was identified as a perfect donor match through the National Marrow Donor Program. That’s all Barich is allowed to know about his new cells.
A year after his transplant, Barich and his donor will have the opportunity to learn more about each other.
The 10,000th Transplant
Moffitt’s Bone Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy program is among the busiest in the nation, performing more than 400 transplants each year. Outcomes consistently exceed the national average, thanks to innovation, clinical trials and a highly coordinated team.
The significance of Barich’s transplant — the 10,000th for Moffitt — is not lost on Mirza.
“It speaks to the incredible teamwork and coordination of Moffitt’s program. Every patient, every staff member, every process contributed to making this possible.”
Looking Forward
Barich is ready to retire so he can sail.
Barich has navigated his leukemia journey for over five months. On Sept. 6, he received his donated bone marrow cells, marking a “rebirth.” It hasn’t been easy.
“The hardest part has been waiting for this. That’s been very rough. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what could happen to me,” Barich said while holding back tears. “I believe in positive energy. I’m trying to imagine the new cells absorbing in my whole body, like dipping in a hot bath and just accepting every pore.”
Now his sights are set on recovery. He still has a long road ahead. The first two weeks after a transplant can be draining. Barich will need to stay close to Moffitt for the first 60 days in case he experiences complications. Sarasota is too far away, and he will stay at the Hope Lodge next door to Moffitt.
Barich can’t wait to return to pickleball, golf and his active lifestyle. Although Sept. 6 is his second birthday, or rebirthday, he turns 60 in December. He considers his leukemia journey good timing.
“I’m officially retiring, and I want to make the most of this new chapter,” he said. “I’m planning to have everyone around for a big bash. And I’m going to look for a new sailboat and might do a little sailing.”
