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On June 1, 2010 our two year old, "Little Air Bear," was diagnosed with Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Type M7. After enduring 146 days at Primary Children's Hospital, Erin is now in remission and living a full life at home with our family. Her strong will and constant happy smile is an inspiration to us all. Through our difficult circumstances we found great strength and peace in our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for checking in on us.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Blood donations

Erin receives blood transfussions daily to help keep her blood count up while she is fighting Acute Myeloid Leukemia M7. She also receives platelets before surgeries. Did you know that it takes 6 platelet donations for ONE of her platelet transfussions? It amazes me how much sacrifice is put into helping our sweet daughter overcome her cancer. Many of you have offered to donate blood in Erin't behalf. Our hearts are so touched that you are so thoughtful! If you would like to donate blood to the American Red Cross we greatly appreciate it. Although you would not be giving blood directly to Erin, you would be helping to save the lives of others.

We are awaiting the results of her bone marrow biopsy. In 2 weeks we will find out if she will need a bone marrow transplant. Yesterday we had Cecily & Caleb here having their blood drawn to see if they will be a perfect match. It wasn't too much work getting the kids to the outpatient clinic to have the blood drawn, but I'm sure that people all over the entire hospital could hear Caleb scream as they drew his blood and then for a few minutes after they were done. Wow, that kid has an amazing set of lungs! Maybe we should get him into opera singing.

In one week we will find out if Cecily or Caleb are a perfect match for Erin. If they are not a perfect match then the doctors go to a pool of bone marrow donors already in their system. We have been amazed with how many of you have offered to be tested to donate the bone marrow if it is needed. However, becuase the task of testing the blood to see if it is a match is so long and tedius the doctors do not want to test anyone else other than Cecily or Caleb. I guess siblings are usually the closest match. Thank you for your offers!

Tags: "Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia" "AML" "Leukemia" "M7" "Acute Megakaryocytic Leukemia"

3 comments:

  1. hi john and jill -
    i heard about what y'all are going through from janiel parker. i am so sorry to hear about your daughter - cancer is rough (my father had cancer). anyhow - y'all are in my prayers, and i told janiel that if y'all needed meals or anything to let me know so i could send something up. it sounds as though you have tons of support which is wonderful.

    -brooke (who used to go to your ward, the short blonde woman who is good friends with the parkers, barclays and thomas's).

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  2. ps. i am already a member of the national bone marrow donor registry and if for some reason y'all have to find an unrelated donor, i would be honored if i came up as a match for your daughter.

    -brooke, again.

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  3. To become a member of the Bone Marrow National Registry, go to:
    http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now/join_now.html (you need to be 60 or under)

    I could be wrong, but I believe it does not involve a blood test, but rather just a cheek swab. I plan on registering when we get back to the US.

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