4-Yr-Old Doesn’t Hesitate To Donate Bone Marrow To His Tiny Twin Brothers.

4 yr old donates bone marrow

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a superhero as “a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers.” In this story, though, the superhero is very real – and very young.

When four-year-old Michael found out he was the only one in his family who could help save his tiny brothers’ lives, he didn’t hesitate. Even knowing the pain involved in the medical procedure, he was determined to help.


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Little Michael and his older brother, nine-year-old Dominick, live with their parents, Robin Pownall and her fiancé Michael DeMasi Sr. The couple has been together for 11 years, but one of the toughest storms they’ve weathered during that time was Dominick’s nearly year-long stay at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).


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Not long after he was born, he tested positive for chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), a rare disorder that compromises the immune system and makes it nearly impossible for the body to fight off infections. Left untreated, it could be fatal. Luckily, Dominick was cured thanks to a stem cell transplant from an outside donor when he was a year old.


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Robin later discovered she’s a carrier of CGD, and when she became pregnant with twins last spring, she and Michael hoped that the disease wouldn’t strike again.

Santino and Giovanni, fraternal twins, were born on October 14, two months ahead of schedule, and remained in CHOP’s neonatal intensive care unit for five weeks. But less than two weeks after they were sent home, both tested positive for CGD.


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Robin said:

Santino was hospitalized for a wound infection, and we have been at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) ever since. We realized the only way to live a normal, healthy life was through transplant.

The mom likens the disease to the “bubble boy syndrome,”saying, “If we don’t do a transplant, they can get very sick from a small infection. A cut can be fatal.†And that’s where Michael’s “superhero”status comes into play.


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He took the test to see if he was a bone marrow transplant match for his newborn brothers, it came back positive! His parents let him know exactly how the procedure would work – and asked if he still wanted to go through with it.

Michael said, “I’m gonna give them with my bone marrow!”I explained the entire process with him, how it may hurt, and that he will be getting a pretty large needle. He said, “Is it going to save them?”We said “yes”and he said, “Okay, I’ll do it then!â€


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Michael is proud to be saving his twin brothers lives. He is so brave … He knows what he’s about to do. It’s truly inspirational. He gives me strength just watching how strong he is.

I am so scared and nervous for all three of my boys, but when I look into their eyes, I see strength. I know everything is going to be okay.


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Santino and Giovanni have been at CHOP since November and have been undergoing chemotherapy treatments to wipe out their immune systems. They got their transplants and both babies are doing well! If all goes well, they should be headed home in just a few weeks.


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Meanwhile, a family member has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family with medical expenses. To contribute, click here.

Don’t forget to share this incredibly heartwarming story about the unconditional love of siblings!

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