Kyle's Donor
When Kyle was a young child, his mother,
Latoya, asked doctors what could cure her son of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). At that time, however, no one brought to her
attention the possibility of a transplant.
When Kyle was about 10 years old, Latoya came to find out that there was
hope for a cure after all. Kyle could have a bone marrow transplant if someone
in his family was a match. When no one
matched, Latoya came to find out about a new trial directed by Dr. Mitchell S.
Cairo that could utilize the mother’s cells for a transplant, even if the
mother was not a match.
With few options for her son, Latoya decided to move forward with the transplant. She recalls being “prepared to do whatever she had to do because she had hoped for the opportunity of a cure for Kyle for so long.” Like any mother, she hated seeing her son in pain in the hospital and missing school. He had spent his life battling the chronic and acute conditions brought about by the disease. As a baby his fingers and feet would swell and he would cry with pain. As he grew older, he would experience pain in his back and knees. A crisis would bring on asthmatic attacks. At one point, he experienced an enlarged spleen and partially collapsed lungs. Severe headaches had doctors concerned about his risk for stroke. When family wasn’t available, childcare was difficult because Latoya was concerned about the treatment of Kyle in the case of a crisis. Despite all of this hardship, Latoya recalls that Kyle was always a happy and bubbly child when not in pain.
Today, post-transplant, Kyle is his happy, bubbly self minus the symptoms associated with SCD. For Latoya, being a donor for her son’s transplant was worth the entire process. She remembers focusing on the positive and giving Kyle the chance to live a long and healthy life. Latoya hopes this trial will help other children suffering with SCD, as well as raise awareness
With few options for her son, Latoya decided to move forward with the transplant. She recalls being “prepared to do whatever she had to do because she had hoped for the opportunity of a cure for Kyle for so long.” Like any mother, she hated seeing her son in pain in the hospital and missing school. He had spent his life battling the chronic and acute conditions brought about by the disease. As a baby his fingers and feet would swell and he would cry with pain. As he grew older, he would experience pain in his back and knees. A crisis would bring on asthmatic attacks. At one point, he experienced an enlarged spleen and partially collapsed lungs. Severe headaches had doctors concerned about his risk for stroke. When family wasn’t available, childcare was difficult because Latoya was concerned about the treatment of Kyle in the case of a crisis. Despite all of this hardship, Latoya recalls that Kyle was always a happy and bubbly child when not in pain.
Today, post-transplant, Kyle is his happy, bubbly self minus the symptoms associated with SCD. For Latoya, being a donor for her son’s transplant was worth the entire process. She remembers focusing on the positive and giving Kyle the chance to live a long and healthy life. Latoya hopes this trial will help other children suffering with SCD, as well as raise awareness