Team BJ Recovery

Thank you all so much for taking some time to look at my page. As you know, this is to help raise money for my medical expenses so that I can start my chemotherapy and get my bone marrow transplant. Any penny counts and my family and I truly appreciate any support we receive. Since I was 10 years old I've been diagnosed with a different disease every two-three years. My first diagnoses was auto-immune hepatitis which is inflammation of the liver, I am also immune deficient. My latest diagnoses and the main reason I have to get the bone marrow transplant is hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Which is a rare cancer; We need your help to raise the money to pay my medical expenses. Such as my weekly doctor visits, my medicine, this chemotherapy and the bone marrow transplant. So I ask that you read and share my story to others and if you can please make a donation to help extend my life span because I do have big dreams that I hope to be able to accomplish one day. To add to more of my story:  If asked Bi'Ja Thatch would be described as one of the most optimistic person anyone knows; because of her outgoing personality many are unaware of her many illnesses. At the age of ten she was diagnosed with Auto-Immune Hepatitis and a blood disorder called hereditary elliptocytosis, at the age of twelve she was diagnosed with rheumatoid poly-arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome. When Bi'Ja was fifteen she suffered from the shingles infection and at the age of eighteen she was diagnosed with HLH (Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis) which has a life expectancy of 6-8 months. Bi'Ja is now twenty years old and has beaten the odds of all of these rare diseases she has been diagnosed with yet she still has to live with the side effects and pains of them every day. Memorial Day 2013, Bi'Ja suffered from a seizure because her organs failed. After being hospitalized for a month, Bi'Ja doctors informed her that she now has to go through a session of chemotherapy and get a bone marrow transplant because her immune system was very weak. About a month ago Bi'Ja was notified that she has severe nerve damage from her knees down, doctors are trying to diagnose where the damage came from. Bi'Ja is immune deficient her body does not fight off diseases and because of her blood disorder. In her doctor's words "your blood cells fight one another instead of other diseases." This bone marrow transplant has gone from a "maybe" to a "needed" procedure. Three weeks ago Bi'Ja was informed that she has an extremely high risk of being infertile after her intensive chemotherapy; she was also told that insurance does not cover the harvesting of eggs. With the recommendations of her doctors she now sees a counselor and psychiatrist. Bi'Ja has also been told that she has a heart problem. Her kidneys have been scarred and she has to take beta blockers to slow down her heart. The amyloids in her body they unfortunatley cannot see on any  screens they've looked at. Lately due to the delay in her procedure she has been sufffering a little more from her depression. Through it all she remembers to stay postive and keep a big smile on her face. There are many people that are unaware of whta Bi'Ja is going through because of her demeanor and how she carries herself. "I want people to know you don't have to be sad and sick" Recently Bi'Ja was diagnosed with PTSD, OCD, depression and she suffers from severe anxiety attacks; all of which came about after her latest hospitalization. Through all of this Bi'Ja still remains extremely positive and determined to beat the odds of not living once again. Bi'Ja is currently in her third year at Howard University. Because of her illness she can't physically attend at her university, however she continues to take classes online. Her dream is to go to law school after undergraduate where she is now studying legal communications and eventually be able to practice law. Bi'Ja ultimate goal is to one day be a Supreme Court Justice. If asked, she will tell you "I have so much more to do with my life, so I know I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." With your support her dreams and goals can come true. Financially Bi'Ja mother cannot afford the expenses of all that she has to go through. Between the many appointments that require co pays, the medicine, doctor visits, and the three most important upcoming procedures (egg harvesting, chemotherapy, and the bone marrow transplant) your support would be very much appreciated. Our goal is to get $50,000 to pay for all of Bi'Ja medical expenses but any donation will be helpful towards helping Bi'Ja back to healing.



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