Four Words No Parent Ever Wants to Hear

Goodyear, AZ

If you’re a parent, you probably remember when your child had an ear infection. It’s very common, but you still worry. No one wants to see their little person in pain. Usually, a warm compress, maybe a visit to the doctor, and it goes away.

Kelsey and Austen thought the same when their three-year-old daughter, Blakely, began tugging on her ear. But as their little girl’s discomfort grew, they thought it could be something more serious, so they brought her to the ER.

That visit to the emergency room turned their world upside down. Blakely was rushed in an ambulance to the main hospital, and then her Mom and Dad were told the four words that no parent ever wants to hear: “Your child has leukemia.“

Blakely was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia).

Because of the leukemia, her ear infection turned into mastoiditis and she required a double mastoidectomy. Then she underwent several cycles of chemotherapy until she finally reached remission.

Since Blakely was considered high-risk, the doctors told Mom and Dad that a bone marrow transplant was her only chance of survival.

At first, there was hope—two perfect donor matches were found on the national registry. But that hope faded quickly when the first donor didn’t pass the medical exam, and the second one backed out.

After six months of treatment, they performed a bone marrow transplant using Blakely’s Father as the donor. Tragically, the cells didn’t take.

With her life hanging in the balance, they tried one last option. After more rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to prepare her little body, Blakely received a stem cell donation from her Mommy.

The transplant was successful.  

She was three-years-old when she first went to the ER. It seemed like a lifetime had passed by the time she turned four, but now this little girl was finally able to go home.

Their journey was nothing short of terrifying. Blakely fought bravely through countless treatments while her parents battled the ups and downs of their daughters medical crisis. Daddy juggled work and caring for their older daughter at home, while her Mother stopped working to stay by Blakely’s side in the hospital.

The financial toll was overwhelming. Half of their income disappeared, while expenses dramatically increased. Thanks to support from the Icla da Silva Foundation, Kelsey and Austen were able to receive financial assistance for crucial needs during their darkest days.

Kelsey shared her grateful message with us, “Your assistance has allowed me to worry less about our loss of income and truly focus on being there for Blakely. We couldn’t have done it without the support from an amazing foundation like yours!”

You can make a difference for a little girl like Blakely, as they fight to receive a lifesaving bone marrow transplant. Your donation will provide critical support to a family who is facing the unimaginable.

DONATE TODAY

Please donate and help us be there for those who need us most.

Written by: Bret Itskowitch