A Cedar Rapids boy who was diagnosed with a rare and potentially life-threatening bone marrow disorder at just 4 years old is now 11 and living life as a fifth grader.
Charlie Price’s health journey began when his parents, Tanya and Michael, noticed unusual bruising on his arm and a large reddish-purple mark covering much of his back.
Doctors initially worried the bruising could be a sign of leukemia or another blood disorder. Blood tests showed Charlie had extremely low platelet and hemoglobin levels, prompting an immediate referral to University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
A bone marrow biopsy ruled out leukemia, but doctors discovered Charlie’s bone marrow was severely damaged.
He was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the stem cells responsible for producing blood cells. The condition leaves the body unable to make enough red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Charlie’s diagnosis came just as the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, making an already difficult situation even more challenging for his family. His weakened immune system left him vulnerable to infections, resulting in frequent hospital stays, blood transfusions and platelet transfusions.
The family eventually found a bone marrow donor. Charlie underwent chemotherapy and radiation to prepare for the transplant and received his bone marrow transplant in May 2020.
His care team says Charlie and his parents played an important role in his recovery, particularly after he returned home following the transplant.
Today, Charlie enjoys reading and playing soccer. He also gives back by helping raise money for Stead Family Children’s Hospital through the annual Night Watch Charity Run.
Charlie has even created a PowerPoint presentation about severe aplastic anemia to help educate his classmates about the rare condition he battled as a young child.
Charlie is being recognized as part of the Kid Captain program, a partnership between University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital and the Iowa Hawkeyes that celebrates pediatric patients and their health care journeys.
For Charlie and his family, what began with a mysterious bruise has become a story of perseverance, recovery and giving back to others.
