This fundraiser is for my cousin, Danyella—a bright, kind, and determined 17-year-old who has spent her entire life living with sickle cell disease which is a genetic blood disorder which causes severe pain.

Despite a lifetime of hardship, Danyella will be graduating high-school, spring of 2026, with dreams of becoming a neurologist—a goal inspired by her firsthand experience living with a disease. She has the desire to heal others. But today, she’s the one who needs healing.

What Danyella Is Going Through

Danyella lives with constant, severe pain. She relies on morphine and other strong medications just to function. Her flare-ups are so intense that she often can't walk, and she’s frequently hospitalized. As a result, she’s unable to attend regular school, and even her online classes are hard to keep up with.

She’s currently admitted to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, where her condition continues to be closely monitored.

This is not just discomfort—this is a relentless and disabling disease that has robbed her of a normal childhood.

A Message of Medical Hope

Danyella’s care team has confirmed that her disease status makes her a strong candidate for two potentially curative treatments:

1. FDA-Approved Gene Therapy

A breakthrough option that targets the root cause of sickle cell disease at the genetic level. It offers real hope for freedom from pain.

2. Matched Unrelated Donor (MUD) Transplant

Danyella has several excellent donor matches, and this transplant has been confirmed by her doctors as another viable curative approach.

According to her providers, both gene therapy and MUD transplant are medically indicated in her case—meaning they are not just possible but recommended.

These treatments represent Danyella’s best chance to live a pain-free, independent, and fulfilling life.

Why We’re Asking for Help

Both options come with enormous out-of-pocket costs that insurance will not fully cover. We are urgently raising $250,000 to help with:

Medical costs not covered by insurance

Temporary housing, transportation, and caregiving support during recovery

How You Can Help

We ask you to please donate what you can, share this campaign, and keep Danyella in your prayers. Every contribution, big or small, brings her closer to the care she needs—and the life she deserves.

Your kindness could help free her from a lifetime of pain.

With love and gratitude,

— Danyella’s family