Help Us Build Our Family and Fight Aplastic Anemia

Hi, we’re Veda & Derrick. My husband, Derrick, is an active-duty Army soldier who, four months ago, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia—a life-threatening condition where his bone marrow no longer produces enough blood cells. He’s gone from running 5 miles daily to struggling just to walk up the stairs.

We are trusting in God’s goodness through this trial. Though starting marriage in the “in sickness” part is tough, we are learning more about selfless, sacrificial love every day.

The doctors believe a bone marrow transplant is his best hope for survival. Initially we were told Derrick did not have a match in the international database. However, in the last couple of weeks, we have been filled with hope as our military family has stepped up to support us through hosting bone marrow donor searches at military bases across the U.S.

While we are eagerly awaiting the transplant, we are saddened as it will likely leave Derrick infertile. Our greatest desire is to start a family but without the help of others, this will not be possible as Tricare does not cover IVF, and the cost is about $15,000.

We’ve had several people ask us how they can help support us during this time, and we’ve decided that the greatest way is by contributing to our IVF fund so we can build the family we’ve always wanted.

Above all, we trust God. He is our joy and strength and without him, we have no hope. Romans 8:28 reminds us that "God works all things together for good for those who love Him." He’s carried us through so much already, and we believe He will continue to provide. Thank you for considering helping us in this journey.

With love and gratitude,

Veda & Derrick

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