2005 Guardian Angel Project
Special Dedication --
Jordan Anthony Grosclaude June 28, 1998 - August 18, 2004
Jordan Anthony Grosclaude was born June 28, 1998 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Jordan was diagnosed, at 33 months old, with a rare form of leukemia called Juvenile Myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). This leukemia affects about 1% of childhood leukemia with a survival rate of 40% with a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
Jordan was a typical boy who had immense love for his brother, Mitchell, his dog Keisha, his cat Kona, and his family and friends. Jordan loved to play in his sandbox, swing, catch lightening bugs, play video games, dance to the music of Creed, and go to school when he was in remission. He loved to laugh and play jokes on his dad, brother and his nurses.
Jordan had a passion for CAT construction equipment and loved to collect as many of the replicas that he could. He identified CAT trucks by name, model number and was interested in their gear ratios. He learned about CAT trucks through real life videos and books.
Jordan touched hearts of many who knew him and was eager to comply with drugs experimental to JMML and was part of a Phase II study of a new drug, now FDA approved, called Clofarabine or Clolar. Jordan received Clofarabine at MD Anderson in Houston, TX. After three rounds of this chemotherapy, Clofarabine put him into remission and this gave him another chance at life. Jordan how has a medical paper written on his behalf proving a refractory cancer, such as his JMML, could achieved remission by the use of Clofarabine.
Jordan's medical treatment consisted of a bone marrow transplant from his brother Mitchell, a stem cell transplant, also from his brother Mitchell, many doses of donor lymphocytes for prophylaxis, several treatments of a drug called IL2, and experimental drug called FTI, total body irradiation, radiation to his chin and lymph nodes and a 3rd bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. Jordan proved that a third transplant could be an option for others.
The
Guardian Angel Project touched Jordan in October of 2003 at the time he was
receiving the drug IL2. The angel was placed in his room for comfort.
It is now, and forever will be, in a curio cabinet along with many of his CAT
machines.
Jordan died August 18, 2004 from a relapse of cancer in his brain.
