Emmett's Battle with SCID

As the Star Wars marathon played in the background, a new light entered our lives and changed everything on May the 4th. After a few minor bumps in the road we thought the worst was behind us, but we were mistaken. Only a week later, our pediatrician called and we were told our beautiful baby had his newborn screening come back abnormal with a possible diagnosis of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID).

"SCID is a group of rare disorders caused by mutations in different genes involved in the development and function of infection-fighting immune cells. Infants with SCID appear healthy at birth but are highly susceptible to severe infections. SCID prevents bone marrow from making functional blood cells, which make up the immune system. The syndrome is seen in roughly 1 in 200,000 newborns. Left untreated, SCID is usually fatal within the first few years of life. Without a functional immune system, loss of life can be caused by something as common as a cold."

After 2 months of testing the specialist confirmed Emmett has SCID with JAK3 deficiency. He will be getting a bone marrow transplant (BMT) at Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio, TX. Our sweet Emmett will undergo chemotherapy, receive the new stem cells, and be under constant follow-up care for about a year if everything goes well. Thankfully his older brother Deckard is a perfect match for the BMT. His brave big brother will also need to be admitted to the hospital to donate the needed life saving cells for his little brother. The journey will be long and difficult, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel. With your help we will be able to get Emmett the treatment he needs and take care of our family. Any amount helps and is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your love and support! ❤ The Deibels