Avera’s Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program has reached a major milestone – 1,000 transfusions since its start 25 years ago. As the region’s only BMT program, it is made up of fellowship-trained, board-certified hematologists.
Dolly Snitselaar doesn’t take for granted the time she gets to spend with family. That’s because 25 years ago she was diagnosed with leukemia.
“I was diagnosed in April of 2001,” said cancer survivor, Dolly Snitselaar.
During this time of uncertainty for Dolly, Avera had also just formed its transplant program, which meant she would be able to receive treatment close to home.
The Start of Avera’s BMT Program
“Prior to that time there were no services here, and so patients had to travel hours to receive that care, not only for the transplant but then for the post-transplant care period, so they were away from their family and away from their communities,” program and quality manager, Rochelle Rentschler.
“In September of 2001 is when I got the stem cell transplant,” said Snitselaar. “They tested three of my siblings and all three were matches, which is amazing, but my younger brother Ray was more healthy and younger and he was the one that did the stem cell transplant.”
She eventually went into remission.
“They were so kind and so good to me,” said Snitselaar.
In 2026, 25 years later, physicians are continuing to help patients that are facing cancer diagnoses.
“BMT in general is a lot of different kinds of cancer we treat in bone marrow transplant. It can be leukemia, it can be lymphomas, it can be multiple myeloma,” said Hematology and Transplant Specialist, Waqas Jehangir, MD.
And the program has grown thanks to research and technological advancements.
“Initially we started with auto transplant and allogenic transplant stem cell transplant,” said Jehangir. “In 2018 we started doing CAR-T-cell therapy. Now we even do TILs therapy which is tumor infiltrating lymphocyte therapy. One of our surgeons actually harvests those cells, or actually tumor, and then the cells are harvested from those tumors and we infuse those cells back to our patients.”
Completing 1,000 Infusions
Plus, the team was able to celebrate a significant milestone in its 25th year by doing its 1,000th infusion in March.
“In 2001 we did 16 transplants,” said Rentschler. “In context, last year we did 85 infusions, and so the growth of the program throughout the years has been pretty remarkable. We are also on track this year to maintain that same volume as well, which is more patients served.”
Future of the Program
It’s an achievement that is a testament to the future of the program.
“We are also looking at exploring more CAR-T-cell research trials and being able to offer more and more to patients, we’ve also partnered with patients outside of the oncology scope so there CAR-T trials coming up for non-oncology indications and that’s been an exciting thing to be a part of as well,” said Rentschler.
And the work they do each day leaves a lasting impact on patients, like Dolly.
“Every day is a blessing, and I’m so thankful at my age that I have the health I do,” said Snitselaar.
The Avera Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program is fully accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy. Back in 2001 the program started with one physician. Now there are five transplant trained physicians as well as six advanced practice providers.
