Mile 39
Elijah Coleman. 9 years old. Genetics superhero.
Mile Sponsor: Dr. Tommy Davis
When Lisa and Darrell Coleman welcomed their son Elijah into the world, they were overjoyed. But just two months later, they noticed something wasn’t right. Elijah wasn’t gaining weight and was soon diagnosed with “failure to thrive.” Despite trying various treatments, his condition didn’t improve. Eventually, advanced testing at Manning Family Children’s revealed two rare genetic conditions: Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD), which compromises the immune system, and Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1), which causes nerve tumors.
To address his recurrent infections and complications from CGD, Elijah’s care team, led by pediatric hematologist-oncologist Dr. Lolie Yu, recommended a bone marrow transplant. At just two years old, he underwent the procedure, but his recovery was complicated, and the transplant was not fully successful. After being re-hospitalized with severe nutritional deficiencies and a life-threatening episode, Elijah received a second transplant, which thankfully led to a significant improvement in his immune health.
Today, Elijah is cured of CGD and continues to receive care for NF1 and kidney concerns. His quality of life has dramatically improved—he now attends school, enjoys arts and crafts, and loves Pokémon and Sonic. Though the road has been difficult, Elijah calls Manning Family Children’s his second family, and his family is incredibly grateful for the team at Manning Family Children’s.
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