Hello From Heeth:
On February 11, 2021, our family’s life was changed. Heeth was admitted into Tufts Pediatric Floating Hospital for what we initially thought was just a rash. We soon discovered that his condition was way more serious.
After several blood draws, a bone marrow procedure, and many, many more tests, it was concluded that our sweet, energetic, fun loving buddy has Aplastic Anemia, a rare blood disorder that affects only 600-900 people per year. Heeth had been getting tired, bruising, having some headaches, and petechiae (red dot like rash), but because Heeth is so hard core, he had not let on to us about how fatigued he had really been.
This best cure for this disease is a sibling match bone marrow transplant. Although Heeth’s sister is a sibling match and was scheduled to donate her marrow to save her brother, unforseen medical circumstances did not allow for a transplant to happen as originally scheduled. Because Heeth’s numbers have remained critically low, his medical team determined he needed some type of treatment immediately. As a result, Heeth received ATG (immunosuppressive therapies) in hopes of having his own marrow “reboot” and begin working properly. This type of treatment can take months to see any type of a result, and a bone marrow transplant could remain in Heeth’s future if this therapy does not take full effect. For now, Heeth undergoes transfusions at The Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund Clinic every few days to keep his platelets, red, and white blood cells at a functioning level.
We have partnered with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) for assistance with transplant-related expenses, which include all the life-saving expenses that result from the diagnosis that would require a patient to be transplanted, such as medical therapies and treatments. Please consider donating to COTA in honor of Heeth.
We know we have a long and difficult road ahead of us, but we can feel the love and support of our families shining down on us! We will use our COTA page to update everyone and hope you can leave happy messages along the way that we can share with our buddy. Heeth is a kid who always sees the good in others and situations.
For example, as we drive into Boston twice weekly, instead of complaining of the long drive, Heeth has told me we should use our family joke of New England accents, and he and I should make a talk show for others of silly New England comments! This buddy always makes us smile, is full of love, life, energy and strength. We hope you will join him for his journey and help build him up for this fight.
WITH HUGE HUGS FROM HEETHIE!
With Love,
Heeth and The Atanasoff Family
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.