04-15-2013
This is a video M.D. Anderson put together on the success of Trey's T-Cell treatment. Trey's part is about halfway through this 5 minute video.
You can follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V1L-YDmRuc
Cherie
01-25-2013
M.D. Anderson has posted an article I wrote entitled "How T-cell therapy helped my son enjoy a normal college life."
You can follow this link: http://www2.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/2013/01/how-t-cell-therapy-helped-melanoma-patient.html
Cherie
12-19-2012
Trey's test results were good. There was nothing new. He was released for six months before we have to come back to Houston/MDAnderson to do this all over again!
Trey continues to be our miracle.
Praise God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
12-12-2012
It’s that time again. We are headed back to Houston with Trey for his scheduled CT scans, brain MRI, and doctor's appointments, this Tuesday and Wednesday. It has been 4 months since Trey had his last round of tests back in August.
Trey is over 2 years out of Adoptive T-Cell therapy treatment. What a miracle he is!
Please pray for continued response and great test results this week.
Cherie and Charlie Rood
08-12-2012
Trey’s test results were great, clear of tumors and nothing new. Trey doesn’t have to come back to do this all over again until December 18! MD Anderson actually filmed Trey from a patient's perspective for their web site on T-Cell therapy. It is very cool to see how Trey’s story is inspiring other patients and giving them hope.
Praise God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
08-06-2012
It’s that time again. We are headed back to Houston with Trey this Tuesday and Wednesday for his scheduled CT scans, brain MRI and doctors' appointments. It has only been three months since Trey had his last round of tests. He starts his junior year at UGA next week and didn’t want to return to MD Anderson in the middle of Fall Semester. The doctors agreed to see him earlier so he wouldn’t have to come back again until right after the Holidays. Trey is now exactly two years out of T-Cell treatment. What a miracle he is! Please pray for continued response and great test results this week.
Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
05-09-2012
Trey's brain MRI was clear and all CT scans were good. His doctor said he’s doing the best that they could expect. We’re so excited for Trey. He’ll start his summer college courses tomorrow morning!
Go God! Thank you for all your prayers.
Cherie and Charlie Rood
12-14-2011
Trey's brain MRI and CT scans "could not have been better," to quote his oncologist, Dr. Patrick Hwu. His brain was clear and scans showed smaller tumors and potentially dead tissue.
His doctor gave Trey five months off before coming back to do this all over again. What a true blessing and miracle Trey continues to be.
Thank you for all your prayers. Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
11-30-2011
Randy Waters dropped in on Trey in Athens and interviewed him again to follow-up on his treatment and progress since his last report in 2010.
To see the video, visit: http://cumming.11alive.com/news/news/92550-former-west-forsyth-player-fights-cancer-loves-college
8-19-2011
The Sigma Chi fraternity and seventeen sororoties at the University of Georgia are trying to raise $50,000 by 31 December 2011 to support research at M.D. Anderson to find a cure for melanoma patients like Trey.
To learn more, visit: http://www.sigbooks.com/treysbandofbrothers/
8-10-2011
We got great news for Trey today. He doesn't have any new tumors. His brain is still clear. And all other tumor areas remain stable--if not smaller.
Trey gets another 4 months off before coming back to M.D. Anderson in Houston for the same scans, MRIs, and doctor's appointments again. We are so incredibly blessed!
Trey's oncologist, Dr. Patrick Hwu, is using Trey's story to encourage other patients. He wanted Trey to know how many people he is inspiring and that his recovery is giving hope to others. He wanted to encourage Trey to continue to live life to the fullest. God is working miracles through Trey.
Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
8-8-2011
We can't say enough to thank everyone for your support and continued prayers for Trey. It's that time again. We are heading back to Houston today for Trey to go through all the usual CT scans, MRIs, and doctor appointments.
Trey has been doing great and living life as a typical college student in Athens at the University of Georgia. It's just so good to see him have the freedom and time to enjoy life. Need we say more?
It's been just over a year (July 2010) since Trey underwent "Adoptive T-Cell Therapy" at M.D. Anderson. We have seen incredible results. It has stabilized his Stage IV Melanoma. In March, some tumors were no longer there, while others were stable or not growing. The biggest success was that nothing new had shown up, particularly in his brain. For this reason, we want to ask for your continued prayers for continued success and complete healing as we return to Houston this week.
We are so blessed and grateful for the miracle that he is. Prayer is awesome!
Thank you and God Bless. Keeping the faith. Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
3-30-2011
All of Trey's CT scans came back stable. There's nothing new and the brain MRI remains clear. There are several tumors we continue to watch. As it stands now, they are either smaller in size or are not getting any larger (stable). Additionally, there is no way to tell from the scans if they are live tumors or dead tumors absorbing slowly into his body (calcification/scar tissue showing up). The only way to know for sure is to surgically remove and test each tumor, which is not an option at this point. Why crack his chest open and remove a lung to see if a stable or shrinking tumor has live cancer cells or not?
Dr. Hwu said he would be happy for everything to stay stable as it is for the next 60 years. We’ll take it!
We want to keep Trey healthy and his stress level low, but at the same time enjoy life and be as normal as possible. As many of you know, all his hair has grown back. It's a little too curly for his liking, but a small thing in the big picture.
He doesn't need to be back at M.D. Anderson for another four months (end of July). He is so excited to have a summer this year.
Praise God. It's a great day. "PFT"
Cherie and Charlie Rood
3-12-2011
Calling all walkers and runners: As we have done in the past, we want to put together another "Team Trey" to participate in this year's "Jog for a Cause." Trey will again be one of four kids with cancer that will benefit from this cause.
The event is Saturday, 12 March 2011. A 5K/10K race will begin at 8 a.m. Both races are chip-timed for Peachtree Qualifying. (Just copy the results and send them in with your Peachtree application.) At 9 a.m., a 1-mile Fun Run will start. Rain, shine, or snow: Come run with us. Dogs are welcome!
Each person who registers will receive a high-quality moisture-wicking shirt. These "dry-fit" shirts usually retail for about $30, so you're actually saving money by running! You can also register without running--thereby making a donation and receiving the shirt too.
There are three ways to register:
(1) Register in person at New Balance at Northpoint Parkway store.
(2) Register online: http://www.georgiarunner.com/registration.asp?id=1389
(3) Mail in registration form: http://www.jogforacause.com/2011regform.pdf
1-5-2011
Trey's appointment today in Houston could not have gone better. His brain is still clear, his tumors continue to shrink, and no new tumors were discovered anywhere. His doctor took Trey off all medications and he doesn't have to come back again for three months.
We are so excited. God is good!
Thank you for all of your awesome prayers.
Cherie and Charlie Rood
10-6-2010
Trey returned to Houston on Monday for more scans and MRIs. We got the best report in quite some time: ALL tumors are shrinking! Nor are there any new tumors.
Trey will return to Houston in six weeks for more scans. Please, pray for continued improvement.
Thanks so much for all your support and continued prayers. Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood
8-26-2010
Trey's scan and MRI results are encouraging. His primary tumor (in his left lung) has shrunk considerably--as well as other tumors they have been watching. There was one new tumor on his pelvis; however, Dr. Hwu is not concerned because they can now see where it was tiny before and bone tumors are the last to respond to T-cell therapy.
An MRI showed a new spot bleeding out. During treatment, it can appear bigger because of the bleeding. They are going to schedule another Gamma knife on September 9. Otherwise, Trey basically got released for another six weeks until early October.
Go God for giving Trey a normal life in between the journey he's on. He will be back in Athens at school tonight and life as usual. In the big picture, it's all good!
Thanks for your continued prayers and support.
Cherie and Charlie Rood
8-12-2010
We got Trey through the entire T-Cell therapy/trial after almost five weeks (and two trips to Houston) at M.D. Anderson. It was rough at times, although we never had to go to ICU. Trey came through it great after all was said and done. You can bet he never wants to go throught that again! Chemo, TIL-cells, Dendritic Cell Transplant, and IL-2--it's complicated. We've learned a lot more than I can explain. Trey is starting to grow his hair back and hopefully gain the twenty pounds he lost; but, that will all come in time.
We go back August 24 for scans to monitor how he's responding. It could be slow over time; however, he's already noticing some response. A few tumors that he could feel on the surface are gone, somewhat smaller, or less painful. We'll take it all as good news; but, we know we have a long way to go. The CT scan and brain MRI will tell us a lot more when we return. One day at a time...
We just made it through Monday night and Trey moved into his dorm at UGA. He starts college Tuesday morning. He is pledging Sigma Chi like is father (and grandfather, and great-grandfather). God is good. Keep praying for successful response to treatment.
Thanks so much for all your support and continued prayers. Go God!
Cherie and Charlie Rood