This is something I never thought I would ever have to do, but here we are. Most of you don’t know what has been going on with our family as of late but Zoey has been very sick. She went for a routine bloodwork the end of June, 2 weeks after her 18th birthday, she was getting crazy bruises and we decided to get her checked out. I ended up getting a phone call from the lab the next morning telling me I needed to take her to the emergency department as soon as possible. Her blood levels were so incredibly low the technician urged me to take her right away, something was going on.

We spent almost a week in the hospital while they ran some tests. She had blood transfusions and a bone marrow biopsy to try to find out what was going on. Leukaemia was ruled out but they couldn’t explain why all of her blood levels were so low. We were sent down to Princess Margaret hospital in Toronto to see a hematologist. After more tests and another bone marrow biopsy she was diagnosed with very severe aplastic anemia, a bone marrow failure disorder. Basically her body is not producing the blood cells she needs. She is at risk of bleeding, because her platelets are critically low, she’s at risk of infection because her white blood cells are critically low and she can’t maintain a hemoglobin amount over 65. Currently she has blood checks twice a week and transfusions twice a week, one of blood and one of platelets. The only cure for this disease is a stem cell transplant.

We were informed that a match has been found and they want her to start this new step as soon as possible. With that will come a month and a half stay down at Princess Margaret. The first week will be the conditioning, a week of high intensity chemotherapy and radiation. Once that is finished she will receive her new stem cells. After the transplant is complete she will need to stay at the hospital for about 4 weeks while her body accepts her new cells. She will be placed on immunotherapy while her body starts its recovery of new cells.

During this time we want to be with her, so we are looking at renting an airbnb while she is down there. After she is discharged from the hospital she has to stay down in Toronto for 2 months while her body adjusts, as she will have to have 2 appointments with the transplant team a week to watch over her progress. She will need to have 24/7 care while she is down there so we are looking at trying to rent something for the entirety of her stay down in Toronto.

Any donations will be used towards the airbnb, food, gas, wigs and any expenses that we may acquire during this trying time for our family. We greatly appreciate anything and everything, even kind words. Thank you from all of us.