Patient Spotlight: Naja

Naja is a 16 year old cancer warrior who has been diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia), a cancer that attacks the blood and bone marrow. In 2019, Naja was declared to be in remission but unfortunately relapsed in January 2020. Unfortunately, this means more aggressive and intense chemotherapy is needed to put her back in remission. Chemotherapy works to kill the cancerous cells in the blood, but can also cause anemia, low platelet count (affects blood clotting properly), and other side-effects. Blood and platelet transfusions help Naja by giving her the strength her body needs to keep fighting cancer.

To date, she has needed more than 100 blood and platelet transfusions during treatment and will likely continue to need transfusions as she awaits a bone marrow transplant from her twin brother. Naja’s mother thanks blood donors for helping her daughter and urges others to step up and donate blood for people like Naja who are trying to live a normal life.

Click here to watch the full interview with Naja’s mom and doctor on YouTube!