Bronx mom searching for bone marrow donor for daughter

A Bronx mom is desperately searching for the perfect match that could give her little daughter a longer and healthier life. Mariya, 5, was born with beta thalassemia, a rare blood disease that means

News 12 Staff

Jun 6, 2015, 1:22 AM

Updated 3,338 days ago

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A Bronx mom is desperately searching for the perfect match that could give her little daughter a longer and healthier life.
Mariya, 5, was born with beta thalassemia, a rare blood disease that means her body does not produce enough red blood cells. Over the years, it has gotten worse.
"It's been very, very, rough, like very, very rough. She can't ride a bike. She can't do certain activities," says her mother, Shatisha Fields.
Doctors began giving her monthly blood transfusions, but they say that causes iron build-up over time, which can be deadly.
Doctors say that Mariya's only cure is a bone marrow transplant. It will help stop the blood transfusions once and for all, which will help her live a longer and healthier life.
Mariya and her family held a donor drive last week. Unfortunately they did not find a match.


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