Mitchell's Miracle

Mitchell was born with a primary immune deficiency called Chronic Granulomatous Disease or CGD which is diagnosed 1 in 250 000 people. It affects different people in different ways:some just always seem to be sick, some are prone to infections in their lungs and some have symptoms akin to Crohn's disease. No matter what their symptoms are they all have one thing in common: their immune system is incapable of defeating anaerobic bacteria and mold. When these pathogens get into their system their body responds by sending white blood cells (neutrophils) to attack them, but when they get there the neutrophils can't kill the pathogen. More and more neutrophils show up and they create what looks like a pimple somewhere inside the body. Eventually the "pimple" gets big enough to burst and form an ulcer. This results in an untreated infection combined with inflammation in the body which is often life-threatening. Infections can occur in any system in Mitchell’s body.

There is only one known cure for CGD- a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT). The process will involve a short but instense round of chemotherapy and radiation to remove Mitchell's own bone marrow, transplanting the donor’s marrow into Mitchell, and then monitoring him carefully to make sure the new marrow takes hold, or engrafts.  

The North American experts on CGD are at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda Maryland where Mitchell will go for treatment in April 2018. 

The cost of the procedure itself is covered by the Institute's research grants, but the cost of living in Bethesda for 4-5 months is not. While Mitchell and his mom are recovering in Bethesda, his sister Mikayla and his father will be remaining at home. Bethesda is an expensive city to live in, ranking about 36% higher than the US national average, and Mitchell will need to stay close to the Institute for at least 100 days after the treatment before he and his mom will be able go home again.

We are hoping to raise $10000 to help cover the costs for the family while Mitchell is undergoing treatment and in recovery.

It is our greatest hope that this transplant will result in Mitchell having a fully functioning immune system for the first time in his life and that someday in the not too distant future Mitchell will be able to help his mother with her gardening, ride with his grandfather in his tractor, and splash and play in the lake with his friends without worrying about his CGD.