Maya Medina Seeks Help from the Community

Maya Medina, age 15, was diagnosed with A.L.L (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) on July 15, 2013. About a month later, she was considered Leukemia free but had to complete the cancer treatment for her diagnosis. After two years of treatment and near death experiences, her treatment was scheduled to be completed this October. Her parents were informed that she has M.D.S (Myelodysplastic Syndrome), a group of disorders caused when the production of blood cells is disrupted. To fix the disorder and continue living, Maya will need a bone marrow transplant from a matching donor. On Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Mojave River Academy from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the City of Hope National Medical Center held a bone marrow drive to register donors. 25 people registered to become a potential donor. Joyce Valdez, Community Outreach Specialist for the Medical Center, heard about Maya’s situation through her teacher. “I was at an event in Murrieta, and the person attending the event was her teacher. She came to me, letting me know that her student was in need of bone marrow.” The community has come together to help Maya find a donor through word of mouth, social media and the bone marrow drive. “If you can’t join or donate, volunteer at the center or help find someone else [who can register to donate],” said Valdez. “Prayers are always good, too, and positivity. We have thousands of patients with no match; the more people we add to the list of donors, the better chances of finding a match.” Maya's mother, Marie, added, "We want to let others know how important it is to become a donor. Maya has had multiple blood, platelet, and plasma transfusions. Donors save lives everyday. It is not only bone marrow that we encourage those to donate, but blood, platelets, and plasma are also a great need for anyone going through cancer treatment. She is an outstanding student with an A+ in every subject. She wants to become an Oncologist to help those who are in the same position she is." Maya is still in need of a committed donor who is a match for a bone marrow transplant, so if you would like to register to donate or know someone who is able, please go to http://join.marrow.org/swabformaya.