Colin’s Story

Site created on June 23, 2021


Welcome to Colin's CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thanks for visiting.

How this all started: At the end of May, 2021, Colin was feeling ill, had a sore throat and a fever.  After a few doctor appointments, tests showed that Colin had extremely low blood counts. We were sent to the emergency room at Abbott Hospital on 6/3/21. From there, Colin was admitted for six days at Abbott Hospital, had 5 blood transfusions and a bone marrow biopsy. We got a diagnosis on 6/14/21 that Colin has Severe Aplastic Anemia. It is a very rare autoimmune problem where your immune system attacks your own stem cells in your bone marrow. It is a serious condition that needs to be treated with a bone marrow transplant and immunosuppression treatments. Here is the Mayo clinic info on the condition. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aplastic-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355015   

Through the efforts of great friends and family, we were able to get Colin in with a team of two great doctors at the University of Minnesota Pediatric Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Center. More on that below.

Colin is feeling good, has an amazing outlook! We all appreciate the support and good vibes coming his way!

Note: Colin cannot receive visitors, food, plants or flowers at the hospital. But well wishes, cards, texts, emails are welcome!

Newest Update

September 15, 2023 - Two Year Anniversary! ALL GOOD!

Journal entry by Char Mason —

It is a day to celebrate! It’s been exactly 2 years since Colin’s bone marrow transplant. This is a big milestone, and means he is theoretically “in the clear”. Severe Aplastic Anemia is a potentially fatal autoimmune blood disorder that must be treated with a bone marrow transplant. And it WORKED! Now Colin has a functioning blood and immune system (thanks to rock star donor and sister Sam!). Colin had his two year check-up with the amazing Dr. Wagner a few weeks ago (see photo)- and underwent lots of blood tests and his 4th or 5th bone marrow biopsy. And all is GOOD! Hats off to Colin for surviving and thriving (he is now in his Junior year at DePaul in Chicago!), Sam for her gift of life, all the doctors, nurses and scientists at the U of M Children's Hospital, and all our friends and family who got us through this.

Please consider becoming a living donor through bone marrow and blood/platelet donations. Some links: Be The Match & American Red Cross & Memorial Blood Centers.

Cheers! We are all smiles here in Saint Paul, Chicago and Washington DC...
Read More of the journal titled "September 15, 2023 - Two Year Anniversary! ALL GOOD!"
  • Dr. Wagner with Colin at his 2 year check up after his bone marrow transplant
    Dr. Wagner with Colin at his 2 year check up after his bone ...
  • Our family on our summer trip to Spain and Portugal 2023! We met Colin while he was sudying abroad. 
    Our family on our summer trip to Spain and Portugal 2023! We met ...
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