Shelly Stackhouse

My 16-year-old son Tommy was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on 6/19/2019. He was treated with 3 rounds of chemotherapy at Lehigh Valley Health Network from 6/19-10/16/2019. He received many blood and platelet transfusions. He then needed HLA-specific platelets. I never thought about blood donation before. The hospital was having a blood drive in their conference center and I was just upstairs so I thought why not! I wanted to give back for all the blood my son needed. Then I advanced to platelet donation. He was referred to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for a bone marrow transplant on 11/22/19. He received only 2 blood transfusions but received 18 platelet transfusions. I donate now every time I am able. It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done!