6 year old Leah’s Leukemia Battle

On behalf of my aunt and uncle, Tabitha and Rob, and their three girls with big personalities Leah, Allison, and Myah, thank you to everyone who is showing support through this journey thus far.

Their lives took a drastic turn when four days before Christmas they rushed Leah to SickKids Hospital in Toronto, where she was diagnosed with cancer. Leah is only six years old and battling aggressive B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia with a rare genetic mutation called t(17;19). This mutation is seen in less than 1% of B-ALL cases and makes Leah's case chemo-resistant.

Their lives quickly became a whirlwind of hospital visits, treatments, and uncertainty in a city three hours from home. Luckily, it was caught early and Leah underwent a new type of treatment called CAR T Cell Therapy which put her into remission in April!

They're still working with Leah's team to understand how to keep her here and what the treatments mean for her health moving forward. But after 17 weeks in Toronto, 31 of those days were in hospital and 41 day hospital visits, they were able to go home.

As of now, Leah is being closely monitored and continues to receive medication to keep up her immune system. She is also still wearing a CVL line, which needs frequent maintenance, and further procedures will be needed in future once Leah's new T cells lose efficacy. Due to how new this treatment is, a timeline isn't something they can determine.

How You Can Help:

Leah isn't able to be left with someone not trained in the maintenance of her CVL line and her ongoing treatment is unpredictable, which means Tabitha isn't able to return to her job. Even with the incredible support thus far, healthcare expenses and the cost of their time in Toronto has left the family's finances in an unstable place. Any donation, no matter the size, will help to alleviate their financial stress so they can continue focus on Leah's health and the well-being of their three children.

If monetary support isn’t feasible for you, please share Leah’s story with others, and consider donating blood. I've seen through this just how vital it is for leukemia patients.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity on behalf of Tabitha, Rob, Allison, Leah, and Myah.