The Chronology of Yanaq’s battle with Leukemia

6/01/2024

A message from TLSN Chair – Beth Coblentz

While the TLSN worldwide Longhorn fan base continues to grow exponentially, TLSN still faces challenges in adding email addresses from our target audience, which includes former Longhorn student-athletes, support staff, and their immediate families to communicate our fundamental mission of providing financial assistance to those eligible and sharing Longhorn sports history.

TLSN needs YOUR HELP in spreading the word about the TLSN mission. The mission statement is at:

https://www.texaslsn.org/mission-statement. 

 Through the years, an organization supporting former players of DKR (LSG), and Texas Legacy Support Network, a 501(c)(3), have offered temporary financial assistance to 16 qualifiers, totaling $186,138.

Presently, TLSN is providing financial assistance to two former Longhorn student-athletes.

Since 2017, Yanaq, the son of former UT Volleyball player Jackie Campbell, has been battling leukemia. Donations from the Glenn Blackwood family and many others have paid some of her non-medical expenses, including food, housing, and car payments.

Yanaq’s treatment regimen at M.D. Anderson is comprehensive and aimed at enhancing his chances of survival. Over the next six months, he is scheduled to undergo chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and a second bone marrow transplant.

Billy Dale and I met with Jackie and her family (see picture below) two weeks ago before Yanaq started his chemo treatments and delivered a check to defray some of the families temporary living expenses in Houston.

This is a marathon, not a sprint, and Longhorn brand builder Jackie Campbell’s family needs financial support along the way.

Here are the two sites to donate to the Campbell family.

https://www.texaslsn.org/send-donation-to, or

https://gofund.me/d62a9741

3/28/2020

Hello Horns,

I hope you and your family are well and are able to stay safe and healthy during this time.

I received the check from TLSN and cashed it that same day.  Thank you very much.

We are alright.  These certainly are challenging times. 

I am very worried about Yanaq getting exposed and trying to keep the household under control and safe without letting him know just how at risk he is and scaring him.  Because of the immunotherapy he received in Philadelphia, he cannot mount a defense should he get exposed. It’s a tough balance to try to create.

He is doing well though.

I went back to work when we returned, but because of my risk of exposure in the ER and passing the virus to Yanaq, I have decided to not work there until the situation gets real bad and there aren’t nurses and I am needed.  If /when it comes to that, I will stay somewhere else.  Until then, I am trying to get hours in the psychiatric hospital.

We return to Philadelphia April 12 for a bone marrow biopsy and lumbar puncture to see if his treatment is still working and clear of leukemia.  We will only have to be there 4 days.

Thank you so much for your help.  It really is life changing at this time.  Please  pass on our thanks and appreciation to your supporters.  Let them know that Yanaq is doing well.

Again, I hope you and your family are well and stay safe and healthy.

Jackie

03/10/2020

Dear Billy thank you for calling me in your offer to help. I was trying to get by without asking for your help since you have helped us so much already. The hospital paid for our hotel since we are on a clinical trial and some friends raised some money for us before we left in January 2002, but I am still in rough shape financially. I have not been able to work since he Yanaq’s relapse on September 11, 2019. If you still have some funds available we could use the help.

Thank you so much for whatever you are able to do. The hospital where I have worked has allowed me to return,and I have already worked at few shifts- so our situation should be better soon.

As for Yanaq – he seems to be tolerating, and I have hope responding to treatment well. He looks and feels real good. Before we left, his bone marrow biopsy showed no cancer cells. We return to Pennsylvania April 13th for another biopsy to follow up and every 3 months there after for one year as long as he remains cancer free, I can feel hopeful. Thank you again for caring and for helping us. Love, Jackie and Yanaq & Family

10/19/2019- Yanaq’s cancer has returned. Letter from Jackie is below

Jackie Wrote – Yani will go to UofM on the 25th ti get his cells “harvested” .  Then he starts a 28 day continuous chemo infusion…hopefully only 3 days in hospital and the rest at home.  Then he is off everything for 2 weeks and then goes into hospital to receive the cells back.  He should be in the hospital for that about 2 weeks and then we will need to stay in hotel in Ann Arbor for 6 to 8 weeks.

A letter from Jackie to all Longhorns written in 2018

Dear Longhorns,

I really do not know where to begin to thank you for all you have done for us.  We sold our house on June 28th.  Please do not feel bad that we had to do that.  As I said, if you had not been helping us, instead of being able to sell it, the bank would have foreclosed and we would not have been able to get anything out of it.  As it happened, I was able to  pay off our credit cards and loans with the sale of the house and now, we have credit to continue to manage until I return to work.  

We continue to be in Ann Arbor.  We are at a hotel near the hospital and will be here until the end of August.  Some teachers from Yanaq’s elementary school began a gofundme page to pay for the cost of the hotel.  Yanaq is doing well and his doctor says he is responding well to the transplant and tolerating treatment.  He continues to have trouble eating.  He is on IV therapy at night time.  I will start work next week, only one day a week at first.  I hope to be up to 3 days a week by September 1st.  Yanaq cannot go back to school for 6 months to a year,   My husband is almost finished with the house we will move into – he has only a few more things to do before the water can be hooked up.  Then, we petition the city for final inspection and occupancy.  

So, things are coming together.  I never imagined having to start over at 53!  But, if my boy can get his health back, that is all that matters. Your financial support has made this tragedy so much easier to bear.  Your kindness and concern have been comforting and I cannot thank you enough.  

I hope you and yours are well.

 Jackie

Visit http://guidestar.org/ and search for TLSN to learn more about the Texas Legacy Support Network mission

Dear Horns

 Jackie

7/08/2018

As of July 8th 2018 and with a joyful heart I can say  Yanaq’s  blood counts are returning, he is free of infection, and his calorie intake is adequate.   Soon Yanaq will be going home. Thanks to all the donors that helped Jackie. While she may not have been on your team she is still a  teammate  in spirit.   Her contributions to our great university  opens a portal to the past that remind all Longhorns that she is part of UT heritage and has  contributed to shape the present and empower the future of UT.  On behalf of the three TLSN board members- Benny Pace, Jim Kay, and Billy Dale- please support the TLSN mission by sending a $50 donation so that TLSN is prepared  to help the next qualifying individual.

Blessing to All,

5/26/2018   – letter from Jackie Campbell

Dear LongHorn Family,

I want to give you am update on Yanaq. This is his 9th day since transplant (day 16 in the hospital), and he is doing well.  There is a waiting time (usually 10-21 days) where all of his blood counts are low and while his brother’s marrow is settling in and seeding.  We wait for his blood counts to return while trying to keep him free of infection and eating enough calories.  So far, so good.  We were fortunate to get a room at the Ronald McDonald House just across the street so his siblings and dad can stay there and visit as much as possible.  That is what seems to help him the most.  Overall, his spirits are good and he has a good attitude, pushing himself to do what he needs to in order for things to go well.  

Temporary financial support was approved by the UT Compliance department. 

Jackie Campbell Quispe is the type of former Longhorn student athlete that TLSN seeks to help consistent with TLSN’s charitable purposes. Jackie is a former volleyball player from the mid-80’s and is the sole source of financial support for her family which include three children in college and four still at home, including her eleven-year-old son, Yanaq.  On November 17, 2017, Yanaq, was diagnosed with leukemia.   As a result, Jackie has only been able to work sporadically. 

 The goal of TLSN is to have funds available for grants to qualifying applicants without having to seek contributions from donors every time assistance is needed.  That  is not the present situation.  At present TLSN has raised approximately $15,000 in our general fund to help Jackie, but by the end of June the donor general fund account will be depleted.   Please donate to the TLSN tax exempt 501 (C) (3)  general fund so we can continue to help  Jackie  and other future  qualifying applicants.  

Qualifying applicants must complete a form and submit to the UT compliance department for approval for financial assistance, and the TLSN board must also complete due diligence to make sure the grant is used for the purposes intended. Jackie’s request for temporary financial help was approved by both UT compliance and the TLSN Board in January 2018

The grant amount sent to Jackie as of the end of March is $16.268 The grant has been used to pay for:

      
                 
      
Company                              Purpose   

 
Besco                               Water treatment   
Semco Energy                   Gas furnace    
AT & T                              phone    
Kellogg Community           mortgage    
groceries                          groceries
Sprint                              phone     
Gas                                  car
 
            

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