“Those red blood cell units and platelet units we have for her are going to keep her alive until the time that her brother's marrow starts functioning properly in her body,” said David Crawford, M.D., Director of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation, at UHealth Jackson Children’s Care.

Blood donors are helping Gigi every step of the way. In the days leading up to the transplant, Gigi required more than a dozen transfusions.

It will be several weeks before it is known if the transplant is a success, but her doctor is encouraged by her progress.

“She's not out of the woods yet, but everything has gone outstandingly well so far,” said Dr. Crawford.

Gigi’s Rare Blood Needs

Reaching this point required an extraordinary effort. 

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that primarily impacts people of African descent. People with sickle cell often require blood transfusions throughout their life.

Concerned Gigi may require a significant amount of blood transfusions throughout the transplant process, her doctors required 50 units of blood be available for Gigi before they would proceed. 

Gigi has extremely rare blood, and finding the 50 units of compatible blood was a monumental task. A lifetime of receiving blood transfusions caused Gigi to develop antibodies to red blood cells. As a result, she requires genetically similar blood, meaning the blood she receives must come from donors of the same ethnicity, otherwise her body will reject the blood. 

In Gigi’s case, the only people likely to be a compatible blood match for her are African Americans and people of African descent, due to the rare antigens she has, and their prevalence among those of African descent. Of these individuals, only 1 in 1,000 will be a potential match. 

Call to Action Answered

With a race against time for Gigi, OneBlood took Gigi’s story to the public, urging people who met the donor criteria to be a potential match for Gigi to donate. 

At one point, doctors feared finding enough compatible blood might prevent the transplant from happening. “A few months ago, I thought we weren't going to be able to pull this off,” said Dr. Crawford.

The public answered OneBlood’s call to action in record time. Gigi’s story went viral, drawing widespread attention and inspiring people to donate for Gigi. Around the clock, the OneBlood Reference Lab team screened the blood supply for compatible donations. Due to the overwhelming donor response, OneBlood was able to secure all 50 rare units in just two weeks.

“OneBlood put out the call and people came running. I want to thank OneBlood and the donors for solving this tremendous problem so we could help Gigi,” said Dr. Crawford.

Brian Cauff, M.D., Chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, has treated Gigi since she was a child, and says blood donors helped open the door for this moment to happen.

“It really was a rallying call that was heard and was answered and as a result, we were able to move forward with this transplant that's going to be lifesaving to her,” said Dr. Cauff.

For Gigi, the donors hold a special place in her heart.

“Honestly, I can't thank them enough. They are part of the reason why I am still here. My gratitude, I can't form it into words. It's just that huge, my thankfulness,” said Gigi.

Need for Blood Continues

The transplant is a major milestone for Gigi, but the need for blood continues.

That’s because once the transplant takes hold, Gigi’s blood type will change to that of her brother’s, and his blood is also rare. Only 1 in 400 people of African descent will be a match. The OneBlood Reference Lab is already working to identify compatible donations to have on hand for Gigi, if needed.

“The best thing people can do to continue to help Gigi, and many other sickle cell patients like her, is to donate blood,” said Susan Forbes, OneBlood's Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations.

Diverse Blood Supply

Gigi’s journey underscores a much broader need for a diverse blood supply. Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that primarily affects people of African descent. Patients with sickle cell disease require blood transfusions throughout their lives and often require blood from donors of the same ethnicity. Only 4% of African Americans donate blood, and that reality can make it challenging to find compatible blood for sickle cell patients.

“Gigi’s story is shining a spotlight on the need for a diverse blood supply. For patients with complex antigen profiles like Gigi, a diverse donor base is essential. The incredible response to Gigi's story has shown what is possible, and we hope it inspires lasting change in blood donation within the African American community,” said Forbes.

Dr. Crawford hopes the people who followed Gigi's journey will take that message to heart.

“If I don’t have blood available for patients, I can’t do what I do. It’s simply impossible to do stem cell transplantation and we can’t cure these children unless we have an abundant supply of blood. I would encourage everyone to donate blood so you can help other people,” said Dr. Crawford.