Help Zaiya Fight Aplastic Anemia!
Donation protected
Zaiya's medical journey began in July of 2018 upon the discovery of her yellowing eyes by her parents. After undergoing many tests and overnight stays at hospitals in both Sacramento and Stanford, she was diagnosed with a severe liver disease called immune-dysregulation hepatitis. Fortunately, the hepatologists at Stanford were able to treat her successfully with IVIG, steroids and other immunosuppressives to return her liver to normal.
However, Zaiya's trials did not end there. Despite happily starting third grade and showing no outward symptoms, her weekly bloodwork began to show low platelet counts. While the doctors tried to remove medications that could have been the cause, the numbers kept dropping. After much discussion and deliberation, the medical team at Stanford started to prepare Zaiya for a bone marrow transplant. She was very fortunate to have hundreds of matches allowing the doctors to choose from the very best ones for success.
Zaiya will be receiving her bone marrow transplant on January 30 and will be staying at Stanford and Ronald McDonald house until she reaches day 100 on 5/3/2019. (For a more thorough description and updates of the Zaiya condition, please see her journal on Caringbridge.)
Zaiya is a shining star at her school, Bergamo Montessori in Sacramento, where she is known as one of the hardest workers with a genuine love of learning. Outside of school, she is a talented athlete who works hard to excel at any sport she engages in. The classroom and community just aren't the same without her presence and her passionate attitude for achievement, but we all are inspired by her resilience and ability to persist in the face of this next challenge!
Please join the Bergamo community in supporting Zaiya in her fight against Aplastic Anemia. Your donation will go towards helping Karina and Allison be there physically and emotionally for Zaiya (pay for gas/tolls to and from Sacramento to Palo Alto, Starbucks for late nights and early mornings, and everything in between). It will also help to keep Zaiya’s mind occupied with as many crafts and activities that she can work on during 100 days in recovery away from her friends and community!
Thank you!
However, Zaiya's trials did not end there. Despite happily starting third grade and showing no outward symptoms, her weekly bloodwork began to show low platelet counts. While the doctors tried to remove medications that could have been the cause, the numbers kept dropping. After much discussion and deliberation, the medical team at Stanford started to prepare Zaiya for a bone marrow transplant. She was very fortunate to have hundreds of matches allowing the doctors to choose from the very best ones for success.
Zaiya will be receiving her bone marrow transplant on January 30 and will be staying at Stanford and Ronald McDonald house until she reaches day 100 on 5/3/2019. (For a more thorough description and updates of the Zaiya condition, please see her journal on Caringbridge.)
Zaiya is a shining star at her school, Bergamo Montessori in Sacramento, where she is known as one of the hardest workers with a genuine love of learning. Outside of school, she is a talented athlete who works hard to excel at any sport she engages in. The classroom and community just aren't the same without her presence and her passionate attitude for achievement, but we all are inspired by her resilience and ability to persist in the face of this next challenge!
Please join the Bergamo community in supporting Zaiya in her fight against Aplastic Anemia. Your donation will go towards helping Karina and Allison be there physically and emotionally for Zaiya (pay for gas/tolls to and from Sacramento to Palo Alto, Starbucks for late nights and early mornings, and everything in between). It will also help to keep Zaiya’s mind occupied with as many crafts and activities that she can work on during 100 days in recovery away from her friends and community!
Thank you!
Organizer and beneficiary
Lina Fenequito
Organizer
West Sacramento, CA
Karina Flinn
Beneficiary