In just five short years, a precocious and spunky little darling has endured 83 blood transfusions. This week, Statesboro High School students and employees did their part to keep Irelynn Rose a happy and growing 5-year-old.
    At five weeks of age, Irelynn was diagnosed with Diamond Blackfan Anemia when her parents noticed a diminished appetite and change in sleep patterns.
    When her doctor in Statesboro could not get a temperature, his first thought was that the machine was broken. But when Irelynn’s hemoglobin registered at only 2.8 instead of above 10 as it should have, young Irelynn was rushed by ambulance to a Savannah hospital after receiving her very first blood transfusion in the ER.
    Testing in Savannah revealed the devastating diagnosis of Diamond Blackfan, making Irelynn one of only approximately 700 known cases in the United States and Canada. Her parents, Melissa and Nick Rose, found out that Irelynn would need a blood transfusion every three weeks for the rest of her life.
    One treatment for Diamond Blackfan, the use of a particular steroid, didn’t work for Irelynn, her mother said.
    Yet another treatment, a bone marrow transplant is not an option right now, according to her mom.
“It either works or she doesn’t survive,” Melissa Rose said. “I can’t make that decision for her.”
    In Diamond Blackfan Anemia patients, the bone marrow does not make red blood cells.
“One pint of blood literally gives her three weeks of life,” Nick Rose said.
    Students and staff at Statesboro High School gave blood and time during the school day on Tuesday to save Irelynn’s life. Two clubs, the SkillsUSA Club, with teacher Glenn Bailey as sponsor and the FBLA organization, with accounting teacher Michael Powell as sponsor, hosted a blood drive not open to the public but in honor of Irelynn Rose.
    Teaching since 1997, Bailey has helped with or sponsored a blood drive at the high school every year.
“Our kids always pull together and we meet our quota,” said Bailey. And after meeting Irelynn, Bailey smiled and told her parents, “This makes it worth the hard work and effort.”
    Irelynn, who attends the SHS Pre-K Program, visited the room where volunteers were giving blood. She proudly whipped up her shirt to show off her port-site.
“The port is supposed to last five years,” said her mother. “But this is her third.”
    The port is the access site for the transfusion, Nick Rose explained. “We put numbing cream on in the morning and by the time we reach Savannah, she doesn’t feel anything when the needle goes in.”
    Each transfusion last from six to eight hours and Irelynn entertains herself sometimes by climbing atop the wheeled pole that has the life-giving blood attached and zips up and down the halls of Backus Children’s Hospital.
    Irelynn’s parents were visibly moved and appreciative of the blood drive in Irelynn’s honor.
    “Some people say they don’t like needles,” Melissa Rose said. “But, I think, ‘well, maybe my daughter doesn’t either.’ We often say, ‘You may not be dying to give blood, but one day you may be dying to get it.’”
    And Nick Rose added, “Without blood, Irelynn wouldn’t live.”
    At the tender age of 5, Irelynn knows the value of blood donations and said, “Thank you, blood donors for giving me life. You are my heroes. Without you, I wouldn’t be here.”
    Melissa and Nick, with the help of Irelynn and older sister Sweeden, founded a non-profit called “Team Irelynn” to fight for a cure for Diamond Blackfan Anemia. Interested persons are encouraged to check out their website at www.teamirelynn.org.