Elym was an energetic, sports loving kid until he was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, Severe Aplastic Anemia. He is now in the fight for his life, please help our family in this journey as he undergoes a bone marrow transplant.
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Elym is a curious and passively intelligent 13-year-old boy who is a gaming fanatic-Buffalo Bills fan. Elym has always stood out from his peers, and was known for his boundless energy and quick learning abilities. Elym learned to ride a bicycle without training wheels at just two years old. His parents have always described him as a go-getter and a fighter.
In the spring of last year, when Elym was just 12, he began participating in track and noticed an increase in fatigue. One evening during dinner, his parents observed a swelling on his cheek, prompting them to take him to Quickcare, where he was diagnosed with strep throat. After treatment with antibiotics, Elym initially seemed to recover. However, just a month and a half later, he experienced extreme exhaustion and loss of vision in his left eye, leading his parents to take him to the doctor.
While at the appointment, Elym’s primary care physician suggested to his mother over the phone that he might be experiencing a migraine; to take him home and have him rest. However, his mother trusted her instincts and consulted the physician’s assistant, who agreed that Elym should go to the emergency room (ER). After a swift admission facilitated by a family friend, Elym underwent extensive testing, which raised concerns about leukemia. Fortunately, after several days, doctors confirmed he did not have leukemia. Instead, Elym was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a serious condition that affects bone marrow and blood cell production. Doctors have claimed this is idiopathic, meaning there is an unknown cause and this has no genetic factors. Elym’s parents believe this was caused by the strep virus and his body began fighting his good cells; basically confusion between the good and bad cells in his body.
In May, Elym underwent a stem cell transplant, and while his family remained hopeful, he required weekly transfusions of blood and platelets, along with a medication aimed at renewing his bone marrow. For a time, Elym’s blood levels improved while continuing to take weekly visits to the U of I, bringing moments of joy for both his medical team and family. However, these levels began to decline again, indicating that further intervention was necessary.
Doctors soon recommended a bone marrow transplant, which posed significant challenges. Despite efforts to find a donor through drives and the national bone marrow registry, Elym did not have a perfect match. His sister was only a 1% match, while his parents were both 50% matches, with his father being the more suitable donor due to gender compatibility.
Elym is scheduled to be admitted to the University of Iowa on January 3, 2025, for chemotherapy and radiation, with the transplant process starting on January 10. Both of his parents work full-time; his mother, Alisa, is a teacher, and his father, Yor works for EcoCare Supply. During this critical time, Alisa will take a leave of absence to care for Elym and their younger daughter Olivet, who is a creative, kind, and energetic 9 year old.
The Choun family truly appreciates any prayers and support during this challenging period. They also encourage individuals aged 18-40 who are not yet registered as donors to consider signing up with the National Donor registry to help individuals like Elym in need of a transplant. The website is: https://my.bethematch.org/s/join?language=en_US&joinCode=fightforblood
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