Mollie Wiesbrock
Mollie Wiesbrock, a bright-blue eyed girl does not live the life of an average one year old child. For the most part Mollie is a normal baby, happy and learning to walk and play; but because of a rare blood disease, every five to seven weeks Mollie has to go to the hospital to receive blood transfusions.
Mollie was diagnosed with the rare blood disease, Blackfan Diamond anemia when she was only two months old. Her parents, Tami and Ron, noticed she had stopped eating and become very pale. When they took her to the doctor, physicians took her hemoglobin which should have been at 10 and found it was only at two. Mollie was taken to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria, and a bone marrow biopsy determined that Mollie had Blackfan Diamond anemia.
Blackfan Diamond anemia is a disease in which the body’s bone marrow produces little or no red blood cells. The cause of this disease is unknown; a person is born with it and it affects approximately 600-700 people worldwide. Mollie’s blood disease makes her very tired, unenergetic and extremely susceptible to colds and other viruses.
Today, Mollie and her parents make a trip every five to seven weeks from their home in Tonica to Peoria, so she can receive blood transfusions. Mollies blood transfusions last about seven hours, “It’s a long day,” Tami Mollie’s mother said. Mollie will continue to receive these blood transfusions until she is about 18 months old.
“We’ve never had anyone close to us require a blood transfusion before. Therefore this entire journey has been a whole new learning experience for us and our families,” said Tami.
The American Red Cross Illinois Valley Chapter held blood drives in Peru and Tonica on Monday, Dec. 18 in Mollie’s name. The community’s response was overwhelming and a total of 130 units were collected between the two blood drives.
Mollie was only six months old when the blood drives were held for her, and she has continued receiving blood transfusions every five to seven weeks. In about six months, after she has received all her vaccinations, Mollie will no longer have to receive blood transfusions and will begin taking an antibiotic instead.
“We were amazed by the number of volunteer, staff and donors that it requires to hold a blood drive and to help, the Red Cross continues to help save so many lives in just one single day,” stated Tami.