Dominic's Story

The only child in the world
Dominic Mazziotta has a condition so rare that only 40 people in the world have received the same diagnosis – and he is the only known pediatric case.

The warning signs began in late 2008 when a huge bruise covered his leg after the 11-year-old took a simple fall from a skateboard. It healed, then another fall produced a new large, ugly bruise. His mother Karen said, “I’m a paramedic. Something is wrong here; it’s not a normal bruise for a normal kid.”

Medical analysis showed a very low platelet count, but repeated tests could not locate the problem. Next, doctors did a biopsy from two small needle pricks in his back. Dominic bled for 28 hours from those two tiny holes, losing one-third of his blood volume. During his long stay in the hospital that November, he received between 20 and 30 units of red blood cells, as well as platelets.

Distressing diagnosis
Finally, medical personnel determined the ailment was Kaposis’ Hemangioendothelioma with Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: a disease combination so rare that no prognosis can be given. A simplified explanation of the condition is that his body contains blood tumors and his own red blood cells attack and destroy his platelets.

More blood and blood products are expected to be used as his chemotherapy treatments continue. Dominic’s chronic transfusions have led to the need for antigen-specific donors, or rare blood types. With the help of South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, special donors have been found to help with his treatments.

Strength and courage
The hardest part of this journey for his family is that he can feel really good one minute and then really bad an instant later. “It is heartbreaking to see him go through this, but he amazes us with his strength, courage and awesome sense of humor,” says his mother.

“My family can not express the depths of gratitude we have for each of you who have been warriors in our fight for Dominic’s life,” says Karen Mazziotta. “You are our angels on Earth and we thank God for you every day.”