Hadley Mercer
Hadley Mercer, a sweet and happy baby, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when she was six months old. Her parents first noticed something was wrong when she unexpectedly lost her sense of balance. Hadley was having trouble sitting up and focusing, so her parents brought her to the emergency room for a CAT scan. They were told it was an inner ear infection and sent home.
Over the next two days Hadley’s condition seemed to deteriorate. She could not sit up at all – her whole upper body was wobbling back and forth and she was unable to smile. Hadley’s pediatrician sent her back to the hospital and this time she was admitted. Multiple tests over the next few days and a spinal tap led to the AML diagnosis in December 2013.
The doctors immediately started Hadley on chemotherapy. Most of the leukemia was located in her spinal fluid, so she required IV chemotherapy along with spinal fluid chemotherapy injections twice a week. It took a long time and numerous spinal injections to clear her fluid of all cancer.
As a result of her slow response to chemotherapy, Hadley’s doctors determined that she needed a bone marrow transplant and was transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. After some initial difficulty finding a bone marrow match for Hadley, friends and family organized a donor drive where more than 1,300 community members attended. A donor was eventually located and after her third round of chemo, Hadley received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant in April 2014.
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Hadley’s parents, Ashlie and Brad, took turns staying at the hospital, an hour and a half from their home, for five and a half months throughout Hadley’s treatment. With a great treatment team, as well as support from many people in their lives including their 5- and 7-year-old daughters, Hadley had a successful transplant and was able to go home in July. Although there have been various setbacks since then, Hadley’s health continues to improve.
Hadley’s family has teamed up with the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation in order to raise funds for transportation, food and living expenses during Hadley’s transplant and continued treatment. They so grateful for the outpouring of support from their friends, family and community during this time of need.
Click here to contribute to Hadley’s One-to-One Fund
Or you can send a check, payable to the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation.
Be sure to include Hadley’s name on the front of the check.
Send check to:
the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation
515 Madison Avenue, Suite 1130
New York, New York 10022
the Bone Marrow & Cancer Foundation is a qualified organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
