Before arriving at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford for a stem cell transplant, Phoenix McKenna loved to play sports. Phoenix and her family decided on a stem cell, or bone marrow, transplant to cure her aplastic anemia, a bone marrow failure disorder in which the body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Phoenix needed frequent transfusions to help stave off excessive bleeding, reduce her risk of infection, and keep her energy up. The stem ...
