A Recipient Story: Jacob

In 2021, Jacob was 15 years old and into skateboarding and music. “He likes a wide genre of music, from classic rock like Pink Floyd and Metallica to rap music,” says Kim Walton, Jacob’s mother. But as the year went on, his health seemed just a bit “off.” Initially, Kim attributed the varying symptoms to a new COVID-19 variant. But after numerous negative tests, they went to see Jacob’s primary care physician. “They did some bloodwork and everything came back at critical levels. His platelets were low. His hemoglobin was low. Everything was low,” recounts Kim.

Jacob was rushed to the emergency department. He spent five days in the hospital, where he received three blood transfusions before he was stable enough to be released. “Fifteen is hard enough, let alone 15 during a pandemic. Then this,” recounts Kim. “Those transfusions he received meant he could leave the hospital and go home.”

Jacob was diagnosed with ALPS, a genetic blood disorder, in addition to Evans syndrome. “Every two weeks, when his platelets got low, we would get another platelet transfusion and then receive an IVIG every four weeks,” says Kim.

It has been two years and Jacob is now 17 years old. He still receives IVIG, but he has not needed a platelet transfusion for over a year. “Now instead of saying, ‘Mom can I go skateboarding?’ it is, ‘Mom what are my platelets this week, can I skateboard?’” says Kim. “Without platelet donors, he could not be out doing what he loves — just being able to get out of that hospital and ride a skateboard,” says Kim. “Thank you (blood donors) so much. You do not even understand how thankful we are!”