12/21/2022
In August, Bailey my 8-year-old granddaughter, went to her pediatrician since she wasn’t feeling well. Her doctor ordered a series of blood tests to see what could be the problem. When the results came in, her doctor had Bailey’s grandmother rush her to Huntsville Hospitals Women’s and Children’s to be immediately seen by St. Jude’s Research Team. After many more blood tests, procedures, supportive care, as well as being admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, it was discovered Bailey has Fanconi Anemia.
Bailey is one of a handful of children who have been diagnosed with inherited Fanconi Anemia in Huntsville, Alabama. This is a rare disease of the bone marrow that will require a bone marrow transplant. This is a very serious and life-threatening disease. Bailey must be watched closely and continue to have this supportive care to support her life until the bone marrow transplant is able to be arranged/matched. The bone marrow transplant will be a lengthy process.
This procedure is very intense and requires her to travel to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, California, and be an inpatient starting January 7, 2023, for an extensive period of time. Since her first admission, Bailey has required constant supervision of several blood transfusions, platelets transfusions, and several antibiotics.
She is unable to attend school due to the risks involved with this disease. She requires constant supervision, and the family will need additional support to provide for her care. She will have many hospitalizations depending on her blood levels and other medical needs. She may look outwardly healthy to most, but she is very susceptible to many infections and only looks healthier due to the supportive treatments and infusions she is receiving.
Fanconi anemia is a rare genetic disorder, involving all three blood cell lines. It is the most common cause of inherited bone marrow failure characterized by pancytopenia. Additional symptoms can include shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizziness.
Please Support Bailey by clicking the link below and sharing her story. Thank you all for your generous support. https://buj.fundsnow.org/