Childhood cancer amid blood shortages: A Maine mom on paying it forward following her son’s cancer battle

By Jennifer Costa, regional communications director

“I really like to do sports. One of my hobbies is dirt bike riding.”

It’s been a pretty rough year for 13-year-old Avery MacNair, of Penobscot, Maine. The eighth grader had to put his hobbies on hold, finding himself spending more time with doctors and nurses than his friends and classmates.

“On Valentine’s Day of 2023, Avery was diagnosed with Philadelphia Chromosome B+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. After several trips to the emergency room and lots of doctors’ visits, they finally diagnosed him,” says Jamie MacNair, Avery’s mom. 

Since Avery’s diagnosis with a rare form of cancer last year, he has needed 36 blood products – eight of those coming the week before Christmas as COVID-19 infected his household. The virus depleted Avery’s immune system – the same system that’s working overtime to kill his cancer cells while also dealing with the chemotherapy his body is ingesting.

“Treatment doesn’t stop when you get sick,” Jamie explains. “Avery’s platelets were pretty much at zero and his blood levels were critical several times throughout that week. His body just chews through the blood faster. The day he was admitted, he had both blood and platelets. The second day he had just blood. The third day just platelets. And then blood and platelets the next day. Every day it was something just to keep him going.”

Every 30 seconds in this country a cancer patient, just like Avery, needs platelets. Blood products help counter the adverse effects of chemo- and radiation therapies. Platelets and other blood products are vital to helping cancer patients remain strong so they can continue treatments. 

“I can definitely tell the difference when I have a transfusion. It usually takes about a day to kick in,” Avery says. “When I don’t have the blood products and my blood is low, I sleep in forever basically.”

“Today he’s feeling pretty yucky,” his mom adds. “We just went in for bloodwork, but we can already tell he’ll need blood products this week.”

In whirlwind year of ups and downs, Avery’s mom has quickly learned what to look for. She says lethargy is the telltale sign her son will need a transfusion.

“There are different signs for platelets,” she says. “A need for platelets leaves Avery with petechiae. He’ll be covered in little red dots – and bruising. They seem scary, but they’re harmless. It’s the body’s way of reacting to needing platelets.”

Earlier this year, Avery’s family and friends partnered with the Red Cross to hold a blood drive in his honor. On January 3, dozens of community members rolled up their sleeves at the Penobscot Community School. The turnout was impressive.

“The community has been amazing. We’ve had folks wanting to bake casseroles and things like that, but we’d rather have them give blood,” Jamie explains.

Together, this community surpassed its goal, collecting 36 pints of lifesaving blood. Though the blood won’t go directly to Avery, donors were proud to replenish a system that’s supported him throughout his battle with this disease.

“Avery is pretty special to the entire town, the entire peninsula really. Everybody was excited to give back in a way that’s helped keep Avery going. It’s such a positive thing to be involved with now, in the middle of treatment, and it is definitely something we will continue after,” Jamie says.

Just days after Avery’s drive, the Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage as the nation’s blood supply fell to critically low levels. Blood products were going out to hospitals faster than donations were coming in – and the Red Cross had to limit distributions of type O blood products to hospitals.

“Avery has type O blood,” Jamie says with concern in her voice. 

Although, he has never been denied blood products she worries what these shortages could mean for her son – and other cancer patients like him.

“There are several kids on the clinic floor, not just Avery. Part of me gets teared up thinking about a shortage. I can’t imagine the blood not being available. It’s gut-wrenching to think that some people have to wait for it. I can’t even imagine what our lives would be like; what treatment would be like. It has been lifesaving for Avery. It’s the reason he’s still here.” 

A simple act to save a life. Blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled. It can only come from generous volunteer donors. As we transition to spring, more blood and platelet donors are needed to continue to strengthen the national blood supply as it rebounds from a 20-year donor low. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has seen an encouraging increase in the collection of blood products, but appointments remain vital this month to ensure hospital shelves can be replenished as soon as possible to continuing supporting fighters like Avery.

“I’ve realized it’s quite a big deal when people donate. Thank you. It helps people who need the blood a lot,” he says.

Avery’s mom echoes her son’s gratitude and adds, “I will definitely continue donating. I will pay it forward forever. Please, put the time in – even if it’s just once or twice a year.”

Turn your compassion into action by making 2024 the year you help save lives. Don’t wait – to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).