General Hospital’s John J. York Begins Blood Stem Cell Transplant Trial to Fight Two Types of Cancer: ‘There’s Still a Long Way to Go’
General Hospital actor John J. York’s search for a blood stem cell donor through BeTheMatch.org may have ended, but the transplant process to combat his two forms of blood and bone marrow cancer began this week.
The 64-year-old soap star told People on Wednesday: “There’s still a long way to go, but the next 100 days I’d say it’s rocky terrain.”
John first revealed on September 13 that he was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes and multiple smoldering myeloma last December.
“The first week is an eight-day process of heavy chemotherapy, during which I will probably lose my hair, and that’s OK,” York explained.
‘I could die. I mean, maybe not from the chemo, but when the transplant starts. So after the eight days of these different chemo treatments that they do, they basically wipe my body of what I’ve been living with my whole life in terms of my blood and DNA and all this stuff.
‘I think the next 100 days are rocky terrain’: General Hospital actor John J. York’s search for a blood stem cell donor may have ended, but the transplant process to combat his two forms of blood and bone marrow cancers began this week (pictured in 2018)
‘They wipe it clean and then they put new stuff from the donor in me. And that will be the new me.’
The grandfather of three will have to go to the hospital every day for the next 100 days to ensure the transplant is successful.
“I would say the first 20 days are probably the crucial days,” John explained.
‘From the first day of the transplant, I suspect within fourteen to twenty days they will be able to see through daily tests how I am receiving and accepting the stem cells.’
York is not looking forward to undergoing five more bone marrow biopsies (where a hollow needle is inserted through the hip bone) during the round of testing and medication he will have to undergo over the next two years.
“Those are just not my favorite things in the world,” the Chicago-born, Cali-based actor noted.
‘What can I do? I can not help it. I’ve said it before, one day at a time.’
For the past 32 years, John played Police Chief Malcolm “Mac” Scorpio on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, and he plans to return as soon as he is physically able.
‘This is not goodbye. This is just so long,” York said on September 13.
“I’ll have to take a break for maybe three or four months, but I’ll be back.”
Fortunately, John gets a lot of support from his daughter Schyler and his wife of 40 years, Vicki Manners.
The 64-year-old soap star first revealed on September 13 (pictured) that he had been diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndromes and multiple smoldering myeloma last December.
John told People on Wednesday: ‘The first week is an eight-day process of heavy chemotherapy, during which I will probably lose my hair, and that’s OK. I could die. I mean, maybe not from the chemo, but when the transplant starts’
York continued, “They’re basically wiping my body of what I’ve lived with my whole life in terms of my blood, DNA and all these things. ‘They wipe it clean and then they put new stuff from the donor in me. And that will be the new me
‘I would say the first 20 days are probably the crucial days’: For the next 100 days, the grandfather of three will have to go to the hospital every day to make sure the transplant lasts
Backlash! For the past 32 years, John played Police Chief Malcolm “Mac” Scorpio on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, and he plans to return as soon as he is physically able
York said on September 13: ‘This is not goodbye. This is just so long. I’ll have to take a break for maybe three or four months, but I’ll be back.”
Family: Fortunately, the Chicago-born, Cali-based actor has plenty of support from his daughter Schyler and his wife of 40 years, Vicki Manners (right, pictured in 1994)