A GoFundMe campaign is raising money for the 7-month-old son of a Collicot Elementary after-school program staffer in Milton after the infant was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.
Kadisha Harris's son Nathan, known as baby Nate, was rushed to the emergency department on the night of Aug. 20 after blood tests showed critically low levels, according to the Milton Scene. He was admitted directly to the pediatric intensive care unit and received multiple blood transfusions.
Three days later, on Aug. 23, his medical team confirmed the diagnosis: infant acute lymphoblastic B-cell leukemia, known as ALL.
The condition is exceptionally rare. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital reports about 90 cases of ALL in children younger than 1 each year in the United States. The survival rate for infants with ALL is less than 60%, according to St. Jude. Recurrence is also a major concern, with most relapses occurring within a year of diagnosis.
Nate faces at least two years of intensive chemotherapy.
A GoFundMe campaign organized by Ayla Baraka launched Aug. 24 to cover medical costs and living expenses for the family. The fundraiser page states that Nate's father, Nathan, will not be able to work during the early months of treatment. The page describes the fund as covering "baby Nate's rare leukemia treatment" while sustaining his parents' needs.
Harris worked in Collicot Elementary's after-school program, where Milton families came to know her well. Melissa Fassel Dunn, a Collicot parent whose children were in Harris's care, wrote about the family's situation for the Milton Scene on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Dunn described Harris as someone who always greeted families with warmth and knew every child by name. "We are lucky to be able to return that love and support to her," Dunn wrote.
The Milton Scene notes that the GoFundMe accepts anonymous donations and that no contribution is too small. Residents who want to help can find the campaign by searching "Support Baby Nate's Fight Against Rare Infant Leukemia" on gofundme.com.
