Angela Ramirez is an instructor for the Kokomo, Indiana Ross Medical Education Center evening Medical Assistant program. Earlier this summer she explained that her granddaughter was ill. Gianna Grace “Gigi” is a vibrant, spunky, and full of life two year old little girl. Gigi was diagnosed with leukemia on June 7, 2018 and was admitted to Riley Children’s Hospital. On June 11, 2018, she was given the more specific diagnosis of AML (Acute myeloid leukemia) a very aggressive form of leukemia. She was immediately started on her first round of chemotherapy. Then on July 6, 2018, the results from her blood marrow transplant came back showing that her only hope of beating this terrible disease would be a bone marrow transplant. The chemotherapy would put her in remission, but she would relapse every time without a bone marrow transplant.
She is a precious little girl that loves to help anyway that she can. She is always making people laugh. She loves to help the nurses taker her vitals and listen to her own heart. She loves to hit the nurse button just to say “hi” to the nurses or the one specific nurse she loves to blow kisses to. During her stay at Riley she has touched many lives and people love to stop by her room just to see her. “Please help us find ‘the perfect match’ so that she can grow up and continue to touch many lives,” said Campus Director Shannon Spencer.
The staff at Ross in Kokomo thought it would be great idea to have someone from Be The Match Indiana to come and explain the process of bone marrow donation and how donors can help others. Angela Touseull came to the Kokomo campus and explained the process of becoming a match. “Though we might not find a match for Gigi we at least can get the word out and possibly help someone else,” said Shannon Spencer. “Angela gave us our own links that we can sign up to Become the Match! If you are interested please go to the link and learn more about becoming someone’s match!” The Kokomo Perspective did a story on Ross and our Be the Match link so others can help out as well. To date, over 25 people have signed up for Be the Match. Help the campus reach their goal of 100 people to join Be The Match!