Kathryn Garrison

Losing a child has to be one of the greatest tragedies a parent can face. The loss of someone you’ve loved and cared for since birth is unfathomable. But for the Garrison family, the unthinkable almost happened all because of the shape of their daughter’s red blood cells.

Continuous destruction of red blood cells leads to severe anemia, requiring transfusions or splenectomy.

We don’t usually think about how our red blood cells are shaped. Many may not even know that healthy red blood cells are Frisbee shaped. But for those who suffer from a hereditary blood disease called spherocytosis, they are acutely aware of the shape of their red blood cells – they are sphere shaped. When this occurs the shape of the cells confuses the spleen and it begins to break down what it thinks are old or damaged cells. Essentially creating a cycle where the body destroys its own blood cells. For six year old Anna Garrison, spherocytosis, which she inherited from her mother Kathryn, could have ended her life three years ago had she not received blood.

When Anna was three years old, she caught a virus at school that for anyone else would not have been a problem. But in Anna’s case, her immune system shut down and her body stopped producing red blood cells. Kathryn rushed Anna to Seattle Children’s where upon arrival, she was so sick she was completely unable to move. A shaken Kathryn pleaded with the medical staff to please help save her daughter’s life.

	The Garrison Family

Kathryn was familiar with the Blood Center, having dealt with the disease herself and having watched her mother deal with it. When the medical staff told her Anna needed to receive blood she didn’t hesitate because she knew it would be safe. She knew that soon the light in Anna’s eyes would be back and she would be able to throw her arms around her mother and give her a hug.

Within 24-hours of receiving blood Anna was back to her normal self. If she had not received blood, she would not have made it and the Garrison’s would have lost one of the greatest treasures in their lives.

In the long run, Anna’s disease itself is very manageable. Her grandmother, who suffers from the disease, just celebrated her 65th birthday, so chances are high that she too will have a long life filled with birthday parties, college, marriage and children of her own.

The Blood Center is currently conducting research on this disease. Hopefully we will find a cure so that all those who suffer from spherocytosis are promised a tomorrow, just like Anna.