Gia Danninger is a fighter. When she was 5 years old, she was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare disease that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells. Doctors told her and her family that she would need a bone marrow transplant to survive.

To prepare her body for the transplant, Gia received numerous blood transfusions as she anxiously awaited a life-saving marrow match. The search took less than three weeks, thanks in part to HLA testing provided by Versiti.

In 2017, Gia underwent the bone marrow transplant and soon recovered and returned to a happy and healthy childhood. Now, Gia and her family are thankful for both blood and marrow donors that gave her – and other patients in need – a second chance at life.

Blood donations can totally change someone’s world,” says, Gia’s mom, Jenna.

Many patients with life-threatening illnesses rely on bone marrow transplants.

The Be The Match marrow donor registry is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program and has been helping patients receive life-saving bone marrow transplants for nearly 30 years. Bone marrow transplants can help patients suffering from a variety of illnesses, including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell disease.

Learn more about marrow donation and join the Be The Match registry.