Patient Stories
Read inspiring stories from the families and children we serve.
We are delighted to present a portion of Matthew's Scholarship Application (reprinted with permission). Matthew is a former BMTU patient who attends Texas A&M University and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. His Grace Foundation is honored to have served Matthew and his family during their time on the BMTU, and to continue to be a part of their journey through the His Grace Foundation Holly A. Hardy Educational Support and Scholarship Fund. Question: How has your fight for life influenced your plans for college and/ or the future? My experience with cancer has been very influential for me and has caused me to mature and grow in ways only an experience like this can. My life goals have been altered as well as my career goals have shifted because of this. lt has caused me to look at the world and others more positively and with less criticism than I used to, and has made me want to give back to those going through a similar experience as mine both in and outside of my future career. I believe life values are at the core of who a person is as well as how they live their life, so [...]
Zach received a bone marrow transplant at age 3 for Wiscott-Aldrich Syndrome. And then, over a decade later, Zach devoted 3-4 hours a week over the summer to assisting His Grace Foundation with a number of volunteer activities like welcome basket making for newly admitted patients and general office tasks. When asked why he wanted to volunteer, Zach said, "You helped me and now I want to help you." Thank you for all of your help, Zach! We give thanks for your life and your continued connection to HGF.
When the results from Jazzalyn's prenatal screening came in, her family immediately knew something was wrong. Several days and tests later, they learned that Jazzalyn had Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). Within Jazzalyn's first week of life, she was admitted to Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) where she spent months in the Intensive Care Unit. Jazzalyn's aunt, Patsy, remembered that their HGF welcome basket contained a cozy blanket, a comfort of home that made their hospital room brighter and more colorful. Their family was sad and disappointed to spend Jazzalyn's first Thanksgiving in the hospital, but, in their words, "HGF thought of everything. There are many times that catered meals were brought into the room, but Thanksgiving one was the one that touched my heart the most." Thanks to the incredible TCH staff and treatment she received, Jazzalyn celebrated one year of life on January 29, 2018. As her family thought back on the way HGF came alongside them during their stay, they joyfully remembered the weekly shopping service, as it allowed them to pick out specific foods and hygiene products. They also recalled the infant wish list — they chose a stroller, which Jazzalyn loved to ride in for walks [...]
As a senior in high school, musician, and college hopeful, Jailyne received the news no one wants to hear — she had Stage Four Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. After several rounds of chemotherapy, Jailyne's oncologist recommended a bone marrow transplant. Jailyne persisted in her academic and musical endeavors while she waited for acceptance to Texas Children's Hospital, including participation in the audition process for Drum Corp International, Carolina Crown. She received a call-back for the camp, but sadly had to cancel because her tumor was growing, compressing her blood vessels and chest, and obstructing blood flow. Jailyne was in the hospital for two months receiving both chemotherapy and radiation, briefly released from the hospital, and then admitted to Texas Children's Hospital for an emergency bone marrow transplant. Jailyne said that having a bone marrow transplant can be described in one word — horrible. "However," she remarked, "being on the BMTU at TCH makes everything bearable and 100 times better." One of the ways being on the BMTU made everything better was the welcome basket that greeted Jailyne and her family upon their arrival to TCH. Jailyne's favorite items inside it were the art supplies, sketchbook, and iTunes gift card. Her mom fondly [...]
When he was two years old, superhero-loving Rami faced his greatest foe: Acute Lympoblastic Leukemia. Rami decided that chemotherapy was his superpower, and he fought valiantly with his allies of family and friends alongside him. When Rami was four, he needed a new superpower—a bone marrow transplant. His mother recalled that she and Rami were so scared when they arrived at Texas Children’s Hospital, but the welcome basket from His Grace Foundation was “filled with things [Rami] loved, which made us so happy.” Rami’s favorite basket items were a Star Wars blanket and superhero toys (of course!). Rami and his family were in the hospital for Thanksgiving and Christmas. His mom loved the Thanksgiving dinner, and Rami delighted in the HGF volunteers singing Christmas Carols. Rami’s mom said she can’t choose a favorite HGF service because they were all her favorite. The weekly shopping service, massage therapy, delicious meals, DVD library, arts and crafts, and friendly volunteers “filled [Rami and his family] up with joy, hope, and faith.” Rami’s mom shared with profound honesty, “being in the BMTU means living in heaven and hell. It is devastating, and words aren't enough to explain it. It is heaven, because you [...]
After 8 months of tests, life-threatening sickness and searching for answers, a 10- month-old named Kate was diagnosed with Congential Amegakaryocytic Thrombctopenia (CAMT), an extremely rare form of bone marrow failure. During Kate’s treatment and transplant, her mother, Lindsay, discovered that she was pregnant with Kate’s brother, Will, who would also be diagnosed with CAMT. HGF was honored to serve this family during both of their children’s transplants and hospital stays. Lindsay and her husband, Alex, thanked HGF “standing in the gap for all of the Texas Children’s Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant families.” They were especially grateful for the free parking and meals. Special touches like the Wednesday “treat cart” made their day more than once. Lindsay fondly remembers a week when she forgot to fill out her weekly shopping list and was amazed to find her favorite soft drink awaiting her in Will’s room during their stay, a request fulfilled before it could even be asked. Recently, Lindsey told me, “His Grace is the comfort of the BMTU...that extra special, ‘make your insides warm up’ love that parents of sick children need!” Kate is now three, Will 18 months, and HGF celebrates with the Boggans that both children [...]
The body fascinates Briana. As a junior Applied Movement Science major at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), Briana took classes like “Theory of Human Performance” and “Applied Biomechanics of Human Movement.” She conditioned her body through weightlifting and healthy eating. While these may simply sound like the choices an active and energetic young woman, for Briana, her interests and pursuits stemmed from a deeper place. Not so long ago, Briana's body seemed to wage war against her. It all started during the spring semester of Briana’s senior year of high school. Life was good. Briana’s classmates at Mayde Creek High School had recently voted her homecoming queen. She had earned high enough grades to secure a place in the top 5% of her graduating class. The University of Texas, her dream school, waited for her just on the other side of summer. But in March, everything changed with just a few words spoken from a doctor’s lips — “aplastic anemia.” Briana found her plans cruelly interrupted by the aggressive bone marrow disease. Immunosuppressant therapy, chemotherapy, radiation, blood and platelet transfusions, and a bone marrow transplant all failed in healing her. No matter what doctors tried, Briana found herself [...]
When Colten Collier was just nine months old, a doctor discovered that his platelet count was abnormally low. It would take over three years to uncover the reason why. In all the world, just 100 or so other people had the same condition as Colten—Congenital Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia (CAMT). Colten’s only hope for avoiding bone marrow failure or leukemia in childhood would be a successful bone marrow or stem cell transplant. Colten entered the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Texas Children’s Hospital as a four-year-old. An unrelated stem cell donor from Poland seemed to be a perfect match for Colten’s body. If the transplant was successful and Colten’s immune system became completely normal within the next two years, he would be cured of CAMT. Karen, Colten’s mom, says their stay on the BMTU felt profoundly isolating at times. “You’re stuck,” she said. “You feel like you can’t leave your child to go to a restaurant or run an errand. You eat hospital food and almost all of your interaction is with your child, doctors, and other parents of sick children.” This, Karen said, is what made His Grace Foundation so special. “Everyone we came into contact with through HGF was [...]
“Our story started at seven days old with long nights and days,” said Patsy Garza. Those seven first days of life belong to her niece, Jazzalyn, who was born with a disorder called Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). Seven remains an important number in the Garza family, as Jazzalyn now requires only seven medications — a remarkable decrease from her original protocol. Jazzalyn’s journey, though full of treacherous ups and downs in the first few chapters, has just begun, and the future looks bright. Now two years old, Jazzalyn’s vibrant personality pushes through the rocky soil of recovery and blossoms, bringing great joy to those around her. Jazzalyn loves to play with her cash register — scanning groceries and placing them in her shopping cart — just like His Grace Foundation volunteers scanned groceries and necessities for Jazzalyn and her family during their time on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. Jazzalyn mimics singing, dances with her whole heart, and pretends to be a mommy to her baby doll. Much like a mommy, she diligently packs a bag before going out, ensuring that Eli—her pacifier attached to a plush elephant—and her “teta” (bottle) have found their place. When it’s time to relax, Jazzalyn navigates an [...]
