Baby who was 'close to death' from blood disease saved by anonymous bone marrow donor

Parent holding baby's hand (stock photo).

Credit: JGI/Tom Grill

Credit: JGI/Tom Grill

Parent holding baby's hand (stock photo).

Baby Denniya Rawls was born with a potentially deadly genetic blood disease known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, and was admitted to Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital in March where doctors described her as "close to death."

"She was really almost in liver failure and could not breathe well," Dr. Rabi Hanna, the department chairman of Pediatrics Hematology Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, told WKYC.

Robin Thornton, Denniya’s mother, said the disease was eating up her immune system and that her body was fighting against itself.

However, a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous 54-year-old saved the little girl’s life. After spending 100 days in the hospital, now 8-month-old Denniya is home on Cleveland’s east side. To date, she is the youngest baby to get a lifesaving bone marrow transplant at the hospital.

"Bless his heart, wherever he is," her parents said. "We can't wait to meet him because this is our miracle baby right here!"

Thornton added, “To hear her breathe. To hear her laugh. To see her smile.”