Alayna Numbers looks like your typical, healthy and active 5-year-old with curly brown locks, lots of energy and an infectious smile that belies her recent battle with aplastic anemia, a rare condition where the body stops producing new blood cells, and if left untreated, can be fatal. While 2020 introduced social distancing and wearing masks […]
A bone marrow transplant saved my life 20 years ago
20 years… It’s been 20 years since April 26, 2000: the day I was given a second chance at life. On Dec. 3, 1998, I was 10 years old and hadn’t been feeling well for about 3 months. After finally having blood work drawn, I was admitted to Akron Children’s Hospital and diagnosed with acute […]
Sibling bond: Brother donates lifesaving stem cells to big sister
Research shows that having a sibling is good for your health. For 4-year-old Alayna Numbers her little brother proved to be a lifesaver literally. On September 24, Alayna received a bone marrow transplant to treat aplastic anemia (a rare condition where the body stops producing new blood cells) with marrow harvested from her 18-month-old brother, […]
Oncology staff treated son like their own
On Oct. 7, 2013, our son, Greggory, was admitted to a bone marrow transplant (BMT) room on Akron Children’s cancer unit. That’s where he stayed until Nov. 20.
Although bone marrow transplant kept me from my senior prom, still got to go with “this girl”
My senior year of high school I asked my friend Erica to the prom. We agreed that I would take her to my prom and she would take me to her prom. However, due to the timing of my bone marrow transplant, I was unable to go to my prom. But the following year she ended up asking me to her prom.
I overcame cancer and now will take my story to Capitol Hill for Family Advocacy Day
Hi, my name is Tyler Froats, and I am representing Akron Children’s Hospital this year for Family Advocacy Day in Washington D.C. I’m looking forward to meeting the legislators and sharing my story with them in hopes to make a difference in their lawmaking decisions when it comes to our needs with medical issues that […]
