4-year-old Needs Blood in Treatment of Rare Cancer
On Christmas Day of 2008, 4-year-old Brooke Mulford of Salisbury, MD felt sick. She laid on the couch all day instead of playing with her presents from Santa. Over the next week, she fought an ear infection, a sinus infection and severe pains in her legs. In fact, her leg pain got so bad that she couldn't walk. Her parents took her to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where scans revealed cancer in her vertebrae, hips and other bones. She was diagnosed with stage 4 nueroblastoma, a rare cancer with a 30% survival rate.
"Amy and I sat there feeling helpless as our little angel, our most precious thing in life, begins the fight of her life and has to endure such pain," Rob said. "It's been the love and support of our family, friends, and community that has given us the strength to cope."
Brooke with her mother, Amy
Brooke gets rounds of chemo treatments every 3 weeks, along with blood transfusions of red cells and platelets.
"We have so much to worry about during Brooke's fight with the cancer," Rob said. "It's so comforting to know that the blood she needs as part of her treatment will be there when she needs it."
To make an appointment to give blood, call 1 888 8-BLOOD-8 or click HERE.
Brooke with her parents, Rob and Amy
