Mia's Marrow

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Mia's Marrow

Mia was born w/ a rare bone marrow failure syndrome called: Diamond Blackfan Anemia. Her body DOES NOT produce any red blood cells. Please Donate Blood!

(Over 235 blood transfusions) My name is Mia McPoland. I am now 19 years old! I was born Sep. 19, 2002. When I was going to the doctors office for my 8 week check up (really it was 6 weeks since my dad Matt got a new job and for insurance purposes my parents decided to go to the doctor earlier - this saved my life!), the nurse practitioner thought I looked a little 'pasty.' So she sent my mom to get a blood draw done stat. When my mom got home, there were 5 messages on the answering machine saying, 'please get to the ER as fast as you can...tell the people she has a hemoglobin of 2.3!' Needless to say, we rushed there, and had an immediate blood transfusion. Actually, 2 blood transfusions. No one knew what was going on. We were visited by a hematologist/oncologist the next day - ...he said, he thought it could be something called : Diamond Blackfan Anemia but only time would tell. After 2 days in the hospital, we went back for a bone marrow aspiration. Sure enough, my bone marrow wasn't producing any red blood cells at all. After waiting a few months to make sure, that's when I was diagnosed with DBA. While I was in the hospital, they did all sorts of tests, and also found out I had Turner Syndrome as well, unrelated to the DBA. When I was about 5 months old, I started a steroid called prednisone, for some reason that helped my body to produce red blood cells for a little while. But then when I caught parvo - it shut my bone marrow system down, and I could never get on a low dose of steroids again. So now my only option is to live off of other peoples donated blood. It only lasts about 3-4 weeks...so I go into the doctors office a lot...and the best hospital there is: Cardon Children's Medical Center. I am such a pro at getting IV's now...and I also prefer to take them out myself, as well as the needles when they do a blood draw for labs. (Recently I had a surgery to put in a port, because after all these years of pokes...my veins had enough - had to take out the power port because it clotted.) It's my mission to help others along my way, because I know what it fells like to have others come along side of me when I hurt. I have 3 sisters, and none of them are a bone marrow match to me. I could have had a bone marrow transplant to cure my DBA, but I do not have a match. If you know my mom, then you know she asks people everywhere she goes if they've had a 'cheek swab' for Be the Match. I just want to say thank you to all my family and friends who support me with love and kindness, and to God for always being with me, and a very big thank you to every single person, even strangers who take the time out of their day to donate blood. I am living proof that if it weren't for you, I would not be here today. Thank you so much for giving me the gift of LIFE!

- Currently have had over 235 blood transfusions

01/12/2026

My first week of Child Life classes - lots of coffee, hanging with friends, & self care 💞

01/04/2026

Happy New Year!!! How is it 2026 already??

I was just sent this throwback to when I was in a Linkin Park music video for Banner in 2012, idk why I
was put into a walker but it was such a vibe … this was so long ago, who remembers this? (RIP Chester ❤️‍🩹)

Thank you Linkin Park. This video was presented to Linkin Park in honor of their continued support and dedication to the Cardon Children's hospital. This ver...

12/21/2025

And just like that I am graduated!! I seriously can’t thank all the blood donors, doctors, nurses, and child life specialists who kept me going ♥️ From doing homework during a life saving blood transfusion to finishing exams during my bone marrow transplant that saved my life (thanks Maddy💁🏽‍♀️), I am so excited for this end of an era, and start of a new beginnings ✨🫶🏽 I have gotten asked a lot about what I have planned next, and I am so excited to share with you guys that I will going back to school (yes, you’ve heard that right) for a semester to get a certification in Child Life!!!♥️🧸 Looking back my whole journey so far feels very full circle, from being the patient that had amazing child life specialists to getting a BMT that helped me realize what I wanted to do with my new lease on life being blood transfusion free - becoming a CCLS to support future generations of patients that are going through similar experiences I went through. There’s so much more to come and I can’t wait to share what’s in store for my child life journey!!! Thank you BUMC & for having me on for a wild ride the past few years 👩🏼‍🎓♥️

12/07/2025

Hope (noun): a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen

I just came across this throwback pic of me in the hospital around 2017 🥹 my mom loved getting me cute shirts like these to wear during my blood transfusions, and they became such good reminders to have hope during the hardest of times ♥️ I am so thankful for all my family and friends who prayed and hoped for a cure for DBA, having you guys to lean on means more than you know. Let this be your reminder that through the lowest points, continue to have hope even when you feel like there’s none. 🫶🏽💎🩸♥️

12/01/2025

Tis the season for some holiday cheer!!!🎄✨ Yesterday I volunteered with Lilys Pad to help decorate their tree in the clinic at Banner Desert, which came out to looking so gorgeous! I was so moved when I was told the 7th floor didn’t have a tree yet, and wanted to donate one for the patients battling blood cancers and disorders ♥️ Christmas is my favorite holiday, so I already had majority of the decorations which made it super easy to run into and pick out a tree!! I hope this spreads some Christmas magic and gives these patients a sense of joy during their holiday season ♥️♥️ The cherry on top was running into Dr K who I haven’t seen in so long!!! He is the best and I am so thankful for all his and the Tucson teams hard work caring for their patients, as well as the Mesa team for all their care and love for their kiddos too💎🩸♥️
We usually raise money for gift cards for teens during my (& Miss Christine’s) birthday in September, which I wasn’t able to do this year, but think now is the perfect time to spread some love to teens who could use some Christmas magic! If you feel led to donate any amount, even $5, it would mean so much to me & those who will receive a special gift this Christmas 🎁 ☃️ ♥️✨

https://paypal.me/miasmarrow

11/02/2025

I had the absolute privilege of shadowing the communication / social media team at the Banner Ball to raise money for the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center ✨♥️ Receiving the Healthy Hero Award in 2018 led me to meeting some the of creative forces behind these fun events, and I am honored to have worked alongside Banner Philanthropy to see the behind the scenes magic to make the Banner Ball a reality! I learned a lot, had so much fun getting dressed up, and was so proud to see the community come together in support of making cancer history 🫶🏽

10/16/2025

Day 952: life is always good when I get to make a trip down to Tucson!! I had a great doctor’s appointment with my HBG at 14.8!! 🫶🏼 My white blood cells were a little elevated but not too concerning! My appointments are now every 6 months which is CRAZY to think of how fast time goes by!! I can’t wait to celebrate 3 years in March, I am endlessly thankful for my teams that keep me going ❤️
This year we didn’t do gift cards for teens for my birthday but ended up bringing these distraction kits filled with goodies & crafts for the littles who are in the clinic all day to work on! I am so happy that I could bring joy through these :)🥹 I also wore my and couldn’t be more obsessed!! I may not have my port anymore but am so thankful for the detail and thought that’s put behind their sweatshirts 💕

09/20/2025

Day +925 & Mia’s 23rd birthday 💕💕

Doctors didn’t think I would make it to my teens, let alone 23!! I am beyond blessed for my family and friends for making me feel so special today!! 🥹🥰 Also, I wouldn’t even be here without people donating their blood to me, for over 20 years. Thank you SO much to all blood donors, everywhere!

06/03/2025

Found this gem from the archives. I was about 2 years old and needed blood transfusions every 3 weeks or so to survive because of a rare bone marrow failure syndrome called Diamond Blackfan Anemia. This was at Banner Desert Medical Center circa 2004 ish, long before Cardon Children’s Medical Center came about. This is a reminder to myself, that I wouldn’t be here without the support of complete strangers who donated their blood on a random day at a blood drive, and then it was given to me so I could live. Repeat for 20 years. There were so many times I could have died along the way, but I’m alive because of someone’s sacrifice. Thank you to each person who has taken the time to donate blood, in every city, and every state, and every country that you may live in. I’m beyond grateful I get to live life.

09/20/2024

Day + 560 - I’m feeling 22! I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped to get me where I am today, healed. It took 20 years of blood donors, selflessly donating their blood so I could continue to live, every 3 weeks, without fail. So many of you donated not only your blood, but prayers, time hosting blood & bone marrow drives, & money for the gift cards for teens project that I love organizing … thank you so much! I’m so blessed to be here today. I shouldn’t be. Also, a huge thank you to my little sister Maddy for volunteering to donate her bone marrow to me, for saving my life, what a gift 🥹

09/01/2024

Mia’s 22nd Birthday is this month!!

- Her nurse Miss Christine, that has been taking care of Mia since she was 6 weeks old shares the same BIRTHDAY as Mia 🎈

-For the past few years, Mia & Miss Christine have collected gift cards for TEENS in honor of their birthday’s, and it has been such a huge success! Teens in the hospital are often overlooked as they don’t play with toys anymore. Mia and Miss Christine have decided to team up again for their birthday 🥳🥳🥳

****We know times are tough****
So please do not feel like you have to donate ... even small amounts like $5.00 is perfect for a special treat! If you would like to help Mia & her nurse’s birthday with gift cards purchased by YOU for her teen project, to fill the toy closets with stuff for TEENS, that would be fabulous! We would be so thankful!!

https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/97CcNul5ma?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaWme2p1LQbLyA1uwuwj8FW1cyTxiFAvWCQlqdpgMJo-IllzDNZaJ1DhAI_aem_A7eQ-LEn4fg4xkCSKS53qA

if you prefer Venmo: ❤️

Thank you to everyone who supports Mia and has donated! We hope to put a smile on Teens faces! Every once in a while a teen will actually come up to Mia in the hospital and say thank you for the treat, which makes this teen project so worth it❤️

07/17/2024

Thank you Banner Health for helping me to be: Well & Wonderful after my 2023 Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant ❤️‍🩹 I am so happy to be healed! I couldn’t have done it without all the amazing staff at Diamond Children's Medical Center in Tucson Arizona 🌵

Address

Cherry Avenue And University
Tucson, AZ
85719

Website

http://www.miasmarrow.com/

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