Aniyah -- Support a Life-Changing Transplant

Heather Win is organizing this fundraiser.

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Aniyah is the very definition of resilience! Her persistence and patience during an unspeakably difficult two years have paid off. Next month, she's headed to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Children's Hospital for a life-renewing stem-cell transplant. The transplant process takes up to a year, and involves significant physical and psychological trials. Aniyah and her mother are prepared, but they will need the support of the many people who know her and have heard her story.

For those of you who might not have all the updates, here is Aniyah's story:

Almost two years ago Aniyah was living her life as a typical junior in high school--attending classes at Winooski High School, hangin’ with friends, riding bikes, playing the trombone, and taking care of her beloved little sister. While making plans for college and stepping into her young adult life, she was met with an incredible setback. She began noticing that parts of her body were getting weak and not moving as they once did, and within a few months Aniyah began to experience falls and painful tightening of her skin.

When she was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma and myositis, two debilitating auto-immune disorders, the long-term prognosis was pretty dire. She lost her ability to walk, to move many parts of her body fully, to care for herself independently. This was a huge shock to her and to her family.

After help from a generous community and a terrific local team of doctors and case workers, Aniyah pushed her way through the first set of obstacles. She spent hours researching her disease when she wasn’t doing physical and occupational therapy. She tired easily physically and mentally, and yet she persisted the best she could to keep her social connections and focus on the future after she celebrated her graduation (a huge milestone she managed against all odds!)

With excellent coordination and committed initiative from Aniyah, she was able to get in touch with the incredible Dr. Torok at the UPMC. Along with her brilliant team of specialists leading the field in pediatric scleroderma and a promising stem cell transplant procedure that can essentially “reset the immune system." During two week-long trips to Pittsburgh in October and May, Aniyah received numerous evaluations and consultations and qualified for this rigorous treatment.

Her chances of once again living a life of independence are way up!

This September, Aniyah is headed to Pittsburgh, where she'll receive a stem-cell transplant. Her loving mother, Julia, will be going with her, and both Aniyah and Julia will need to live in Pittsburgh for the next 9 months to 1 year while Aniyah goes through the treatment. Aniyah will be between in-patient and out-patient, and Julia will live at the Ronald McDonald house, connected to the hospital. Her job for the next year will be to be Aniyah's bedside support system, and she's had to let go of everything else to be able care for her daughter.

We are asking for the continued support of this family through this donation page. The monies collected here will support the bills still due back home in Winooski, travel for little sis, Yasmina and Julia to visit each other while Yasmina stays with relatives out of state, and the basics like food, etc. Focus on Aniyah’s well-being is essential at this time, and easing the financial burden for the family will allow her to put her energy into getting and staying strong as her immune system is essentially wiped out and rebuilt with her own stem cells.

Aniyah is one of the most thoughtful, wise, hilarious 20-year-olds you will ever meet. She is extremely touched by all who have reached out, donated to a previous GoFundMe campaign, and been part of her ever-expanding village of people who love her dearly.

Thank you for supporting her in whatever way you can.

Here's a video from UPHC describing the disease and the treatment process Aniyah is receiving--starring her heroine--Dr. Kathryn Torok.