Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center
The Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center offers treatment choices for people with lymphoma and myeloma. Almost 1,000 New Mexicans receive a blood cancer diagnosis each year, according to American Cancer Society estimates.
The UNM Cancer Center program is New Mexico’s only bone marrow transplant program. It includes a nurse manager, nurse coordinator, a social worker, a pharmacist, infusion nurses, and an inpatient team. The team’s Nurse Manager, Maria Limanovich, says the team follows each person from the beginning of bone marrow transplant treatment through completion.
“Bone marrow transplantation needs a multidisciplinary team because of the complexity in coordinating care.”
– Matthew Fero, MD, FACP
Bone Marrow Stem Cell Program Director
Contact the UNM Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center
If an autologous stem cell transplant is a treatment option for you, our UNM Transplant team is here to support you.
The Bone Marrow Transplant Program at UNM — the only program in New Mexico that is FACT Accredited!
FACT accreditation is the threshold for excellence in cellular therapies including bone marrow transplant programs. Organizations attain FACT accreditation through a rigorous process, exceeding comprehensive standards in patient care and laboratory practices.
The Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center offers autologous stem cell transplants most often for people with lymphoma and myeloma. Autologous transplants allow you to get chemotherapy treatment that would otherwise be harmful to your bone marrow.
Bone marrow is a liquid organ. Its cells can be coaxed into the bloodstream. Autologous transplants harvest stem cells from blood, store them during chemotherapy, and transplant the stem cells back into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, the stem cells find their way back into the bone marrow where they grow new blood cells.
Our Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Center is the state’s only bone marrow transplant program. Our team includes a nurse manager, nurse coordinator, a social worker, a pharmacist, infusion nurses, and an inpatient team. Housed on the fourth floor of the clinic, the dedicated space has infusion bays, open stations, private rooms and transplant bays.
Inpatient Oncology Team
Sometimes during your treatment you might need to stay in the hospital. Our experienced inpatient oncology team will monitor you closely for any complications.
Left to right: Back row - Lorna Montoya, RN BSN OCN; Shelby Parsons, RN BSN OCN; Norma Thompson, PCT; Rachael Amble, RN BSN; and Katijane Dexter, RN BSN OCN. Front row - Jennifer Pacheco, RN MSN; OCN and Kimberly Flores, RN BSN.
Apheresis Care Team
Our apheresis team will be taking care of you during your stem cell collection. Apheresis nurses will be with you during the entire procedure and monitor you closely.
Left to right: Chelsea Reyes, BSN, RN; Margaret Prizzi, BSN, RN; Unit Director Crystal Baca, MSN, RN, CNN; Sarah Mertens, BSN, RN; and Christine Freitag, RN