Two years ago at the age of 4, our daughter, Abby, became sick. At first, we thought it was just the flu, then a stomach bug, but when she became extremely lethargic, our pediatrician ordered blood work. We learned that her hemoglobin was dangerously low, requiring immediate hospitalization at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she quickly received two blood transfusions during her stay.
In the months that followed her hospitalization, she required an additional 10 blood transfusions while doctors monitored and ordered testing, looking for a cause. She received a diagnosis of pure red blood cell aplasia, a condition in which her body can not create mature red blood cells on its own. We have yet to learn the cause, but we did find a steroid treatment that keeps her healthy without the need for additional transfusions at this time. We had many fears during the first year of treatment, but, thanks to generous blood donors, wondering whether we would have access to the blood needed for Abby’s life-saving transfusions was never one of those fears.
This week, Abby and I celebrated her 6th birthday (and National Blood Donor Month) by going to a blood drive so that Mommy could give blood. I donate as a “thank you” to the strangers who donated to Abby. I donate to set an example for my children that we give back to our community. I donate so that other families can receive life-saving treatment like mine did and in hopes of keeping Inova’s blood supply stable enough that others have one less thing to worry about during their health journey. I donate because I have the privilege to look at Abby every single day and think how lucky we are that she’s alive.
We are so incredibly thankful to everyone who has given the gift of blood and to anyone who decides to donate in the future. If you’re on the fence about donating, please consider! It saves lives like Abby’s and has an indescribably powerful impact on entire families like ours.
– Becca and Brian (Abby’s parents)
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