Meet Elmer! He’s a caring, energetic six-year-old who loves to share, help his teachers, play Sonic video games, and hang out with his brothers, Adrien and Michael. One day, he hopes to be a teacher.
Elmer’s parents realized something wasn’t right when he kept having nosebleeds, got bruises more easily than before, and felt worn out even after resting.
Then one day, a nosebleed lasted much longer than usual, and Elmer’s parents knew it was time to take him to the emergency room.
Elmer had lost so much blood that the doctors needed to give him new blood for four hours to help him feel better and stronger.
The doctors were worried it might be a kind of cancer, called leukemia, so Elmer was sent to Portland. There, they found out he had aplastic anemia – not cancer, but a blood problem that needs special treatment.
Aplastic anemia is a blood condition where the bone marrow doesn’t make enough red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets.
To help his body function properly, Elmer needed blood transfusions twice a week. But to cure the problem, he needed a bone marrow transplant, which took five days in the hospital.
Elmer has had to be in the hospital for weeks to receive his treatment. During this time, Elmer has had to be away from school and his friends, and his parents have had to close their business temporarily to be with him in Portland.
Elmer will be adopted as a Sparrow to Sage Elementary School in Redmond. Students will work hard to earn money for Elmer through sponsored community service, supporting him and cheering him on as he and his family continue to navigate his medical journey
