Press Room
PADRES will host a bone marrow drive in partnership with Universal City Nissan in HOPE of finding a donor for Eduardo Morales. Saturday, January 23, 2010 Universal City Nissan
EDUARDO’S STORY Eduardo is a six-year-old bright-eyed and loving little boy who enjoys playing at his neighborhood park. For the most part, at first sight PADRES patient Eduardo Morales looks like your average six-year-old child, but unfortunately, he’s not. He has been battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) since he was merely two-years-old and is in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant to save his life. Eduardo lives in Los Angeles with his mother Ausencia Peña, older brother Armando and younger brother Rolando. Eduardo’s cancer journey began in 2005 when his mother noticed that he was having many physical ailments that greatly concerned her. After taking Eduardo to numerous pediatricians and various community medical clinics for over a year, Ausencia noticed her son was getting worse over time; having high fevers, no appetite, constant bruising throughout the body and a swollen stomach. His pediatrician constantly told her that he was having growing pains or had the flu, prescribed antibiotics and sent them home. Although she had been told that there was nothing seriously wrong with her son, Eduardo’s mother’s instinct told her differently. She continued to meet with various doctors and finally the last pediatrician Eduardo saw directed her to take him to the nearest Emergency Room, as he suspected Eduardo was severely anemic. It was at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center’s Emergency Room and after numerous blood tests, that Ausencia learned that Eduardo was very anemic and doctors suspected that Eduardo could in fact have leukemia. On June 28, 2006, Eduardo’s mother, Ausencia, was given the news that her son had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Eduardo spent three weeks in the Intensive Care Unit followed by a month in the pediatric ward of the hospital, while his mother sat by his side. Eduardo responded well to chemotherapy but experienced an allergic reaction to one of the chemotherapy drugs. This drug had to be removed from his therapy which limited the effectiveness of the overall treatment. In July of 2008 while still on treatment, Eduardo’s leukemia returned. This was a major set back for Eduardo and his family. Because his leukemia had come back, Eduardo’s chance of surviving his disease dropped significantly. At that time Eduardo’s brothers and sisters were tested to see if they were a good match for a bone marrow transplant for Eduardo. Sadly, his siblings did not match and no suitable donors were found on the National Marrrow Registry. In April 2009, Padres hosted a bone marrow drive for Eduardo hoping to find a match for him and the many others in need of a bone marrow transplant. The Padres drive resulted in no match for Eduardo but the search would continue. On December 15, 2009, Eduardo’s mother once again received unimaginable news; Eduardo’s leukemia had returned for the second time while on chemotherapy. Eduardo’s only hope for survival would be to find a bone marrow donor and soon. Eduardo has been started on a new chemotherapy regimen in hopes of controlling his disease until a suitable bone marrow match is found. A Mother’s Point of View: Ausencia receives support from her kids, as they all come together and lend a hand with babysitting and other household duties. Adding insult to injury, late last year Eduardo’s little four-year-old brother Rolando became ill with a kidney infection and was hospitalized at the same time Eduardo had relapsed. Ausencia had to deal with two sons who were hospitalized. Her eldest teenage son Armando has been a great support to her. Although the situation has taken an emotional toll on him as well, he helps the family as best he can in all responsibilities. He continues to go to school and dreams of going to college one day to study Business Administration. Ausencia makes a living by cleaning homes but has recently been released from her employer because she has missed many days from work to be with her son in the hospital. Although the family has experienced many harsh economic and emotional times since his diagnosis, the family and patient remain hopeful. Ausencia says her son Eduardo wishes to become a doctor when he grows up. She is amazed at his courage and love for life. “All I wish for is a miracle; a donor that can save my son’s life,” says Ausencia. “This experience has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through. I can’t imagine life without my son and ask that people take that important step and get tested to possibly save my son’s life, or someone else’s child for that matter,” she continued.” When asked how she is getting by and handling this ordeal she replied, “my family gets by with faith and look to God to let my son have a miracle by having a bone marrow transplant.” |
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