The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Northside Hospital is a collaboration between The Blood and Marrow Transplant Group of Georgia (BMTGA) and Northside Hospital.
How to Donate Blood and Platelets
Please e-mail your resume or send any questions to the following e-mail address: bmtgajobs@bmtga.com. You may also call Marianne Silverboard at 404 255-1938 ext. 1104.
Over Performing 2009 - 2016: Survival Outcome Rates in Allogeneic Transplants
The NSH BMT Program is the only adult BMT Program in Georgia, to achieve survival outcomes that significantly exceeded the expected survival rate for allogeneic transplants for the last 8 consecutive reporting cycles (2009-2016)1,2. Over the past eight years, we believe our programs’ commitment to quality has consistently increased patient survival rates and lower treatment-related mortality rates. There were 179 adult and pediatric transplant centers included in the analysis.
Please click Survival and https://bethematch.org/tcdirectory/index/60 for additional information.
1. Reported outcome data from bethematch.org. This survival information includes only patients who received their first allogeneic transplant between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2014 using unrelated or related donors, and who had reported follow-up.
2. Final 2016 Transplant Center Specific Survival Report, December 12, 2016
Congratulations to Our Atlanta Top Doctors
The Blood and Marrow Transplant Group of Georgia physicians, Asad Bashey, H. Kent Holland, Lawrence Morris, and Scott Solomon, have been voted by their peers as Atlanta Top Doctors. Our Physician Team provides outstanding patient and referring physician customer service which has resulted in exceptional survival outcomes and excellent patient /referring physician satisfaction.
The Top Doctor nominating process, conducted by Castle Connolly, a healthcare research and information company founded in 1991. Castle Connolly identifies the top doctors in America and provides consumers with detailed information about their education, training, and special expertise. Its online nominations process, castleconnolly.com/nominations , is open to all U.S. licensed physicians. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.
Please visit the Atlanta Magazine Top Doctor edition at http://www.atlantamagazine.com/top-doctors/
Peer Reviewed Article Published in Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Dr. Scott Solomon
Dr. Scott Solomon’s peer reviewed article, GVHD-Free, Relapse-Free Survival – a Dynamic Endpoint to Better Define Efficacy Following Allogenic Transplant, has been accepted for publication by the journal, Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. To read Dr. Solomon’s article, please go to https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1VB103sSX5n2zg.
2017 Annual Northside Hospital Charity Golf Classic Raised Funds to Support Cancer Research and The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
On May 15, 2017, NSH-BMT’s primary fundraiser, the NSH Charity Golf Classic, was held at the Atlanta Athletic Club from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Under the direction of the NSH Foundation, this annual event provides patients with:
- Local lodging assistance
- Transportation assistance
- Assistance with other services
We thank the NSH Foundation for their tireless efforts in organizing and coordinating this annual fundraising event. If you would like to participate in the NSH Charity Golf Classic, please go to foundation@northside.com or call 770.667.4483.
Dr. Asad Bashey, MD, Ph.D., to Present at the Annual Georgia Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Blood Cancer Conference
For more information click here
Neal Brasfield, Unrelated Allogeneic Transplant Recipient, Meets His Donor at the Blood & Marrow Transplant Reunion
To view additional BMT reunion photos, please go to Survivorship
Blood and Marrow Transplant Program Presents Five Oral and Six Poster Presentations at the 2016 58th Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) Meeting and 2017 American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplant (ASBMT) BMT Tandem Meeting
The NSH-BMT Program physicians and clinical research team have once again been recognized by ASH and ASBMT for their commitment to participating in state-of-the-art blood and marrow transplant clinical research trials. Having access to cutting-edge clinical research trials allow our patients to receive the most innovate treatment(s) available close to home. 
Click here to review the 2016 ASH and 2017 ASBMT Tandem BMT Oral Presentations.
NSH-BMT Program Named as Core Clinical Transplant Center
NSH-BMT is the only transplant program in Georgia to receive the prestigious designation of Core Clinical Center from the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT-CTN). This designation is accompanied by a research grant awarded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Program is one of 20 out of more than 120 such BMT Programs in the United States to be awarded this status.
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Phase 1 Clinical Research Trial Open for Enrollment
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Phase 3 Clinical Research Trial Open for Enrollment
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Phase 1 Clinical Research Trial Open for Enrollment
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Phase 1 Clinical Research Trial Open for Enrollment
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Clinical Research Trial Open at Northside Hospital’s Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Advances in Immunotherapy for Cancer: Novel Clinical Research Trial Open at Northside Hospital’s Blood and Marrow and Transplant Program
Open to Enrollment: A Multi-Center Phase I/Ib Study Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of the Novel PI3k Delta Inhibitor TGR-1202 in Combination with Ibrutinib in Patients with Select B-Cell Malignancies
NSH - BMT’s Clinical Program, Collection Facility and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Processing Laboratory Receives a Perfect FACT (Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy) Inspection Score
In November 2015, the NSH - BMT Clinical Program, Collection Facility (Atlanta Blood Services) and the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory underwent the required three year FACT inspection. Each area was praised for their commitment to a culture of quality, patient safety and continuously striving for high patient satisfaction. We believe our continuous process improvement, open communication and focusing on improving patient care has resulted in superior survival outcomes. NSH-BMT’s clinical program has received perfect FACT inspection scores during their 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, and 2015 inspections.
BMT Program Quality External Audits: FACT 
Consecutive Inspections Resulted in ZERO Clinical Deficiencies
The Stovall Foundation Donates Apartments to the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Since 2003, The Stovall Foundation, led by Ray and Martha Stovall, provides local lodging for transplant patients and their caregivers. The Stovall Foundation’s generous donations have allowed patients and their family members, who live 50 miles or greater from NSH, to be able to stay at a comfortable, high quality, safe and clean facility at no cost. All apartments are fully furnished and are located conveniently to Northside Hospital.
The Stovall’s deep commitment to community and making a difference in the lives of transplant patients and their family members has allowed our program to treat patients who may not have had the funds to travel to our program to receive lifesaving cancer treatment. Martha states, ‘Our son Kenneth had his transplant care at Northside, and we understand the many challenges treatment creates for the patient and family. We hope our apartment donations can bring comfort and solace to those families who are experiencing health and life challenges.’ We thank the Stovall’s for their long-standing support of our program.
For more information about the Stovall Foundation, please email stovallrm@windstream.net
Martha Stovall, Dr. Scott Solomon, Ray Stovall
Margaret Marcinkowski: Eighteen Years with the NSH BMT/Leukemia Program: A life of Hope and Wellness
Margaret's family in 1998 and in 2015
I had been feeling unwell for a few weeks. I had multiple issues, but it had come on gradually, so I wasn’t clear how sick I was. I was diagnosed with Acute Meylogenous Leukemia in June of 1998. I remember going to the hospital the night before my leukemia diagnosis. I was 36 years old, married and a mother of three small children ages 8, 5 and 1. The evening after I was diagnosed I was admitted to Northside Hospital. I was introduced to Dr. Gerry Connaghan and Dr. Kent Holland, who were opening their practice, The Blood and Marrow Transplant Group of Georgia at Northside Hospital. Suddenly, I felt like my luck was changing. I could be treated at Northside Hospital’s BMT/Leukemia programs and be treated by extraordinary experts in their field.
To read more of Margaret’s story, please click here.
New Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) Allogeneic Consultation Timing Guidelines
The National Marrow Donor Program®/BeTheMatch and the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) have jointly developed a supplement to NCCN® Guidelines for the timing of Allogeneic Transplant Consultation for AML.1 New AML referral timing guidelines recommends high-resolution HLA typing be performed at time of diagnosis for all patients, and identifies those patients who should be referred early for transplant consultation after initial diagnosis. This includes all patients with intermediate and poor-risk cytogenetic/molecular features as well as high-risk disease features.
Transplant Consultation Guidelines for Adult AML
High-resolution HLA typing is recommended at diagnosis for all patients
Early after initial diagnosis, all AML patients should undergo evaluation for HCT, including:
- CR1 - except favorable risk AML [defined as: t(16;16), inv 16, or t(8;21) without c-KIT mutation; t(15;17); normal cytogenetics with NPM1 or biallelic CEBPA mutation and without FLT3-ITD]
- Antecedent hematological disease (e.g., myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS])
- Treatment-related leukemia
- Primary induction failure or relapse
- Presence of minimal residual disease after initial or subsequent therapy
- CR2 and beyond, if not previously evaluated
1. 2016 NMDP/BeTheMatch and ASBMT referral timing guidelines – AML.
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP): Post Transplant Mobile App is Now Available
To help physicians with the reference materials they need to care for transplant patients, The National Marrow Donor Program®/BeTheMatch has developed a free Transplant Guideline mobile app, available through the Apple© and AndroidTM app stores. For more information please visit https://bethematch.org/about-us/how-we-help-patients/transplant-education/ 
Post- Blood and Marrow Transplant Immunization Schedule- What You Need to Know
After blood and marrow transplant, patients will need to be re-immunized with all childhood vaccinations due to their new immune systems being immature and vulnerable to diseases/infections. It is recommended that post-transplant patients begin their vaccination schedule six months after transplant unless clinically contraindicated. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), recommends the following:
- Inactivated influenza vaccine should be administered beginning at least 6 months after HCT and annually thereafter for the life of the patient.
- Sequential administration of 3 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended, beginning 3-6 months after the transplant, followed by a dose of PPSV.
- A 3-dose regimen of Hib vaccine should be administered beginning 6 months after transplant; at least 1 month should separate the doses.
- MMR vaccine should be administered 24 months after transplant if the HCT recipient is immunocompetent.
- If a decision is made to vaccinate with varicella vaccine, the vaccine should be administered a minimum of 24 months after transplantation if the HCT recipient is presumed to be immunocompetent.
Congratulations to Northside Hospital BMT/Leukemia Program Physicians: Voted Atlanta Top Doctors
As seen in the July 2016 Atlanta Magazine, Drs. Asad Bashey, H.Kent Holland, Lawrence Morris, and Scott Solomon have been voted by their peers as Atlanta Top Doctors in Hematology and Oncology. Our Physicians lead a highly trained interdisciplinary team who provide outstanding quality patient centered care. This commitment to quality has resulted in exceptional survival outcomes and excellent patient/referring physician satisfaction.
The Top Doctor nominating process is conducted by Castle Connolly, a healthcare research and information company founded in 1991. Castle Connolly identifies the top doctors in America and provides consumers with detailed information about their education, training, and special expertise. Its online nominations process, castleconnolly.com/nominations, is open to all U.S. licensed physicians. Doctors do not and cannot pay to be selected and profiled as Castle Connolly Top Doctors.
Please visit the Atlanta Magazine Top Doctor edition at http://www.atlantamagazine.com/top-doctors/
Atlanta Blood Services, Program Collection Facility, Celebrates Donor James Arnett’s 250th Platelet Donation
James Arnett recently donated his platelets for the 250th time. To celebrate this occasion, Carrie Cox, Executive Director, Atlanta Blood Services, dedicated one of its platelet collection devices in James’ honor. For the last five years, James has donated platelets on an average of 24 times per year. His first donation was May 22, 2002, after his son’s teacher was diagnosed with cancer. All platelet donations are kept locally and used for leukemia, cancer patients, and neonatal intensive care unit infants.
To read more about James’ platelet donations, please click Neighbor News Online.com
Platelet Donation Video - Atlanta Blood Services
Hesitant about donating platelets? Our wonderful platelet hero Dave takes the guesswork out of donating! The process is very similar to donating whole blood, and with your donation you are giving the gift of life to an active blood cancer or blood disorder patient right here in Atlanta!
Call 404-459-8744 and schedule your appointment to save lives today!
The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Northside Hospital (NSH-BMT) provides the best of both worlds — clinical excellence and compassionate care. Committed to being the premier program in the Southeast, we provide outstanding state-of-the-art care for patients with leukemia and for those patients undergoing blood marrow and stem cell transplantation.