I wonder if most families have a backup plan—especially when it comes to a family crisis?
I’ve been reading about aplastic anemia this summer and am absolutely baffled about what PARENTS are supposed to do when their child is diagnosed with this rare disease—especially if it’s their ONLY child?!
What’s the concern about only having one kid?
Well, it’s not like you can wiggle your nose like Samantha on Bewitched and like magic, a cure appears!
There is no cure and lifesaving treatments are very limited. In fact, it’s usually a bone marrow treatment, if you’re lucky. And the best bone marrow transplant candidates are typically siblings.
Aha! Do you get it? If a child has no sibling, then whatyado?
Well, you go online to register with the National Marrow Donor program and take your chances—sometimes a chance is all you’ve got.
With any luck, your child will get matched to a bone marrow donor.
I read an article about this little boy, who’s just under two years old and an only child. His parents got him registered in May 2016 for a bone marrow donor after he was diagnosed with aplastic anemia.
He desperately needs a transplant in order for his life to be saved, because his body no longer produces enough life-sustaining platelets and red blood cells—all because he’s developed an immune system disorder that’s attacking his bone marrow. In his case, doctors don’t know what caused his aplastic anemia, just like most other kids.
