In a heart-wrenching plea, a family is on a relentless quest to find a bone marrow donor for their daughter, a task that no parent should have to face. Little Ella, who just marked her first birthday, has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, and her situation is urgent.
Ella’s mother, Maria, explains that the family has been living at the hospital since her diagnosis at nine months old. Both she and Ella’s father are only partial matches, making the search for a perfect donor even more crucial. “People often wonder why they can’t just use our half matches, but it’s much more complicated than that,” Maria shared.
The family is overwhelmed with emotions as they navigate the ups and downs of Ella’s treatment. “It’s incredibly tough. She’s so young and can’t express what she’s feeling. I wish she could tell me if something hurts,” Maria added.
Fortunately, the community has rallied around the family, organizing multiple bone marrow drives to help find a match. Here are the upcoming events where you can get swabbed to check if you could be a donor:
- Sunday, April 9 at a local park from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Monday, April 10 at a nearby coffee shop from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday, April 15 at a college campus from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Maria emphasizes the importance of attending these drives, or if you can’t make it, consider joining the registry at join.bethematch.org. “Many families like us are searching for a match. It’s not about being next in line; it’s about compatibility,” she explained.
The urgency is palpable as doctors will check the registry at the end of the month. If no perfect match is found, the family may have to proceed with the partial matches, risking potential complications. Ella is scheduled to begin her third round of chemotherapy, which will require a lengthy hospital stay. By June, a transplant will be necessary regardless of finding a match, making it critical for the community to engage in this life-saving effort.
While the family remains hopeful for Ella’s recovery, Maria expresses the emotional toll this journey has taken. “As a mother, you try to stay strong, but all I want is to be home with my baby.”
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In summary, the Meza family is desperately seeking a bone marrow donor for their daughter Ella, who is battling leukemia. Community support is crucial, and multiple donor drives are being organized to help find a match. The urgency is high as doctors will assess potential matches soon, and the family remains hopeful for Ella’s recovery.