After battling isolation and a life-threatening disease, Kyaire finds strength

When it comes to marrow transplant expenses, we don’t often consider the little incidentals such as gas, parking and meals—or even rent for temporary housing near the transplant center. Add to that the challenge of holding down a job while also being the primary caregiver to a patient family member—as Danielle was for her son, Kyaire.

Fear of the unknown
In November 2018, Kyaire began having stomach pains. With a stomach bug going around school at the time, it didn’t seem too alarming—until Danielle came home to find Kyaire sleeping and extremely jaundiced. “I knew right away it was something serious,” recalled Danielle. 

Once at the emergency room, Danielle’s suspicions were confirmed. Kyaire was experiencing liver failure. 

After multiple visits to his doctor and additional testing, Kyaire was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a disease in which the body stops producing enough new blood cells. Kyaire was able to manage his symptoms with medications, but it would only be a 
“temporary fix”. 

Hope for a cure
“Kyaire understood that a bone marrow transplant was his best chance for a long-term cure—he wanted the transplant,” Danielle said.  Amazingly, his genetic donor match was quickly found on the Be The Match Registry®, making his family more confident about moving forward.

In September 2020, just after Kyaire turned 16 years old, he received his life-changing bone marrow transplant. “I was connected to Facebook groups for patients and families going through aplastic anemia and transplant, so we were prepared for the worst-case scenario,” Danielle shared. 

Emotional and financial stress
Kyaire’s transplant went very smoothly with his struggles being more emotional than physical. He stayed strong, and continued to eat and exercise during his treatment. But due to pandemic restrictions, he had been feeling very isolated and he worried a lot about the stress his family was under.

Pandemic restrictions also meant that only Kyaire’s parents were allowed to visit him at the hospital—one at a time. Isolation from friends and school while being sick was extremely hard on Kyaire. But he received love and support from friends, classmates and teachers virtually as they cheered him on from a distance.

Fortunately, a transplant center was close enough to their home that Kyaire’s family did not need to relocate. But as his primary caregiver, Danielle had to leave her job in order to be able to stay with Kyaire at the hospital. 

Brighter days ahead
A Be The Match patient assistance grant funded entirely through philanthropy, helped cover some of their uninsured expenses related to transplant, such as gas money to and from the hospital, parking fees and meals for Kyaire’s parents while they were visiting at the hospital. 

“People who support Be The Match literally saved my son’s life—this means everything to us,” said Danielle. “We are so thankful.”

Today Kyaire is doing very well and his family remains cautiously optimistic. “He’s back to himself, working and doing a lot with his friends,” said Danielle. “He’ll be able to attend school in person this year—that was the hardest part for him—and he’ll be starting at a tech school for construction.”

You can help us say yes to more patient families like Kyaire’s in need of financial assistance during their most difficult time.  Please consider a gift today.