When you are a preschooler, school is cool. You adore your teacher, you love snack time, you look forward to seeing your friends. Missing a day at school would bring tears to most kids’ eyes. Missing three months – that’s unthinkable.
For Trey Hohenstreiter, missing three months of preschool at Zion Lutheran Preschool in Seymour is only the beginning of his story. In January 2006, he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma (ALL). His three-year chemotherapy regimen wreaks havoc on his body and leaves him unable to produce platelets and red blood cells. To help him fight off infection, his treatment includes regular whole blood and platelet transfusions.
His mom, Kathy, believes in the power of the transfusions.
“The transfusions have been critical in maintaining my little boy and keeping him alive. I owe so many thanks to the volunteer blood donors in this state who make the sacrifice blindly, not even knowing that they are helping my little boy in Jackson County and many others like him.”
Trey is at the midpoint of his treatment; his last round of chemotherapy is scheduled for May 1, 2009. In remission since Feb. 2006, Trey has received 12 blood transfusions and 4 platelet transfusions. His mother expects him to continue needing transfusions for the next 18 months. He will also continue being a kindergartner at Zion Lutheran looking forward to a full recovery and never having to miss school again.
Click here to meet other Hoosiers whose lives have been touched by Indiana Blood Center.