When their then five-year-old daughter developed bruising in unusual areas of her body and red blood dots on her skin, the Raguz’s rushed Carmella to their local emergency room in Palm Beach. Initial testing showed Carmella’s platelet count was low at which point her doctors proceeded with further testing.
The Raguz’s were then referred to the Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital where Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist Dr. Maher diagnosed Carmella with Aplastic Anemia (AA) – a rare condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells and can range from being mild to life-threatening. In Carmella’s case, her AA was severe, and she required a bone marrow transplant. With this new hurdle, the Raguz’s had family members and friends tested, but it was Carmella’s little brother Angelo, then age three, who was a perfect match. Dr. Maher collaborated with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program Medical Director Dr. Galvez Silva who performed the procedure.
Thanks to your support, experts at the Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, as well as the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, were able to provide Carmella with the rapid and specialized care she required. Today, she has returned to playing her favorite sport of soccer and created an even greater bond with her little brother Angelo.
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