Raising Arizona Kids: Coping with chronic disease

When she was only six weeks old, Mia McPoland was diagnosed with Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), a rare blood disorder characterized by a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. Her diagnosis has meant regular hospital out-patient visits at Cardon Children's Medical Center for monthly blood transfusions to keep the disease in check.

For many children with chronic illness, these regular hospital visits become a part of everyday life. They become experts on their disease -- and many are wise beyond their years when it comes to medical treatments and terminology.

Patients and their families often develop long-lasting relationships with nurses and other hospital staff because of these regular visits- supporting each other as they work to manage the disease.

Kristi McPoland, Mia's mom, talks about how Mia and her family have coped with DBA. Christine Jorgensen, R.N., who has known Mia since she began her visits to Cardon Children's, talks about the bond that she has developed with the McPoland family. And Mia, now age 9, weighs in on what it is like to live with this chronic illness.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Diamond Blackfan anemia
• chronic disease kids
• chronic illness kids
• raising arizona kids
• cardon children's
• transfusions
• blood transfusions
• children blood transfusions
• IV pokes kids
• mia mcpoland
• kristi mcpoland
• christine jorgensen
• DBA