Support Makayla's Fight Against Aplastic Anemia

Hi there, friends, family, and compassionate strangers,

Meet Makayla Nicole Berg, also well-known as “Buggy”. She is an inspiring 18-year-old who just graduated high school with honors on June 2nd, 2024. Makayla has dreams of becoming a chef and was on the brink of starting her culinary journey when life took an unexpected turn. Just as she was ready to embrace her future, Makayla's rare blood disorder, severe aplastic anemia, tragically returned after 6 years of being in remission.

A Journey Through Resilience and Hope

In 2017, at the age of 11, Makayla was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare condition where her white blood cells mistakenly attack and destroy her own bone marrow. This life-threatening disorder put her through countless treatments and hospital stays, ultimately leading to remission. For 6 whole years, Makayla lived like any other teenager, dreaming big and making plans for her future as she and everyone else thought this was put behind her.

Sadly, in late December of 2023, Makayla’s aplastic anemia came back unexpectedly. This time, it was right as the start of her adulthood. Instead of choosing a culinary trade school, she had to choose a hospital for a critical and dangerous bone marrow transplant. The transplant, which offers hope but no guarantees, is her best chance at a cure.

Her father, Alan, selflessly stepped in as her donor, with no second thoughts, he endured a painful 1.5-hour surgery to harvest half a gallon of bone marrow. Despite the physical toll, he remains strong and will do anything to support, hoping to give his charismatic daughter the gift of life and permanent remission once and for all.

To add to Makayla’s support, JuliAnne, Makayla’s mom, is able to take 30 days off of work to stay by her side every day during what will be an estimated 4-6 week hospital stay. Our Aunt JulieAnne states, “watching my daughter fight for her life, knowing she should be starting her adult journey instead, is incredibly heartbreaking. But our family is resilient, and we are doing everything we can to support Makayla during this challenging time.”

Despite her young age, Makayla faces immense challenges. She will have to endure chemotherapy and radiation, which will leave lasting side effects, such as losing her hair and physical strength. As well as the heartbreaking reality that she will never be able to have children of her own. This is a heavy burden for an 18-year-old, but Makayla remains strong and hopeful.

Following her hospital stay, Makayla will require extensive follow-up care, including trips to the doctor three times a week for the first 100 days and regular appointments for the next year. The road to recovery is long and uncertain, but we are hopeful and committed to giving Makayla the best chance at a healthy future.

Join Us in Supporting Makayla and Why We Need Your Help

The financial burden of Makayla's treatment is staggering, with costs approaching $500,000. As a family, we are doing everything we can, but we need your help to ensure that Makayla gets the care she desperately needs. Your support will go towards covering medical expenses, follow-up treatments, and the day-to-day costs that come with this battle.

We are reaching out to you, our community, for support. Whether it’s a donation, a share, or simply a kind word, every bit helps. Your generosity will make a tremendous difference in Buggy's and her family's life. This will allow the family to rest easy and not worry about the financial devastation that will lie ahead and it will allow Makayla to keep fighting and focus on healing. Thank you for taking the time to read Makayla’s story and for your support in this challenging time.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Buggy’s Family and Friends