"...we are so thankful that every time he needs blood or platelets, they’re available."

When Kay McDonald brought her newborn daughter Bridget home from the hospital, she noticed that her two-year-old son John looked pale. A few days later, she took John and the baby for a walk and became concerned when their short stroll fatigued the usually-energetic toddler.

With an 11-day-old baby in tow, Kay and her husband Jimmy took John to see their pediatrician in New Braunfels. Kay’s powerful mothering instinct told her to press for blood work. That afternoon, they found themselves in the office of a pediatric oncologist/hematologist in San Antonio, and the diagnosis was acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). John was given an immediate blood transfusion.

Thus began an ordeal where John spent nearly a month in the hospital, receiving multiple blood and platelet transfusions. Since then, he has continued an intensive treatment regimen, and has received additional transfusions while undergoing chemotherapy.

Remaining ever hopeful, Kay says, “At his age, the cure rate is very good, and his health is expected to be good. By the time he starts kindergarten, he’ll be done with his treatment and will live a normal life. They check his hemoglobin and platelets every time we go in, and we are so thankful that every time he needs blood or platelets, they’re available.” Kay says her family is grateful for the strangers who willingly give of their time and the precious resource of blood and platelets so that a precious resource like little John can live.

She says, “My husband has been a dedicated blood donor, but even he didn’t realize until he went through this crisis how meaningful it is to give blood. Many people in New Braunfels are giving in John’s name … and many of them were too scared to donate blood before. We tell them it’s important to give, even when it’s not for someone you know.”

Update:
John just celebrated his fourth birthday in October and is doing well.