Dear friends,
I'm thoroughly pleased to tell you that I've have been fortunate enough to have had a successful!...bone marrow transplant, from an unrelated donor on Sept 30, of 2004 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. What seemed to be a rather bleak year in my life has turned into the most defining and rewarding experience I've ever been through. Although, with the wonderful care and great attention my doctors and nurses at Mt. Sinai gave me, I'm here today because of an anonymous bone marrow donor who was generous enough to feel my life was worth saving. This humble and most thoughtful person doesn't exactly know who I am yet or what kind of miracle he's performed but I will be sure to update my website with the story of our first meeting hopefully in a year or so. Through out the time that I was severely ill with Aplastic Anemia I continued to paint at my leisure, determined to never give in to this dreadful disease and to keep a positive spirit, that one day, I'd overcome this crisis and be able work and enjoy life again. Although, it's arguable as to what may have caused my illness, my doctors and I feel pretty confident that a concentrated and long term exposure to Benzene (Petroleum Distillates) which can be found in all paint thinners, dryers and varnishes caused the very serious auto immune reaction. I have since removed all threatening chemicals from my studio and I paint with strictly AP non toxic oils today and for as long as I shall live. I really can't stress enough to artists, just how much toxic material we surround ourselves with. It's just a thought. Today my blood counts are normal and my energy is just about at full strength. No longer are my weeks consumed with blood transfusions and dizzy spells. I am doing assignments and exercising regularly now... a big difference from a year ago. There have been countless notes and letters from friends and kind people on the web who have written me wonderful things and I'm Oh so grateful to them for giving me a lot of hope and belief that I'd survive and recover from this unfortunate setback. I hope my story will serve as a reminder of just how important donating blood and platelets as well as joining the bone marrow registry is in saving valuable lives. There's just not enough donor diversity and I hope to further this cause some more in my life as well as promote more safety in artist studio's. I'm still in the relatively early phase's of a full recovery but I feel confident that this disease is out of my life for good. I would love to thank my family, my friends, all of the volunteer people at the AA&MDSIF, the Society of Illustrators and all my wonderful nurses and Doctors at Mt. Sinai Hospital, a very fine institution of medicine, as well as Lenox Hill hospital but most of all my generous and anonymous bone marrow donor. Also a special thanks to all who have prayed for me, it helped save my life.

Sincerely,
Roberto
-January, 2005