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Miracle Boy's Fight: Free Care Fund Saves Life
16 Dec
Summary
- River Schafer, diagnosed with two rare blood disorders, is the only known case globally.
- The Free Care Fund covered experimental medications crucial for River's survival.
- River's family is now fundraising to help other children in need.
River Schafer, a remarkable six-year-old, became the world's only known individual with a unique combination of two rare blood disorders, factor VII deficiency and Glanzmann thrombasthenia. His condition presented extreme challenges, requiring extensive safety measures and numerous hospitalizations from infancy. Doctors at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh pursued intensive treatments, including a bone marrow transplant, but complications arose, leading to a severe autoimmune response.
Facing a critical situation with a rare transplant complication, River's treatment involved experimental medications that were prohibitively expensive. The Free Care Fund at UPMC Children's Hospital proved instrumental, covering the costs of these life-saving drugs when insurance fell short. River's parents express profound gratitude, stating their son would not be alive without the fund's critical support.
