10-year-old dances ‘The Nutcracker’ ahead of bone marrow transplant
Channel: Andrew Fancher
Date: 05/12/2022

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) — Two students from the Palmetto Conservatory of Dance have mobilized for surgery following their performance of “The Nutcracker” ballet at the Kroger Center this weekend. 

The Columbia Classical Ballet Company’s annual tradition featured three guests, 26 company members, 40 volunteers and 41 students from the Palmetto Conservatory across Dec. 2-4.

Among 110 dancers stood a single mother-daughter duo celebrating the end of an era and magic of a new journey. 

“I do enjoy the adult ballet classes, but they’re just for fun. This is for my daughter—to have this time together and to have this experience that she’ll hopefully treasure,” said Erika Marie, a party parent in Act 1.

Off stage, Erika is the endearing mother of a 10-year-old girl named Adahlia. The 4th grader danced as a party girl, angel and bonbon for the second year in a row this season.

“I just like being on stage… and having people give me flowers and attention,” said Adahlia, going by her first name to protect medical privacy.

Adahlia was born with a rare disorder of bone marrow failure titled Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA). The incurable disease affects less than 0.001% of children born in the United States annually, according to the DBA Foundation. 

As DBA inhibits the production of red blood cells, Adahlia survives on monthly blood transfusions channeled from an anonymous donor. She’s been tethered to an IV tube since she was six months old. 

“I don’t like it one bit. I hate needles. I’ve gotten pretty good at not screaming when you poke me with a needle… I mean, I’m kind of used to it at this point,” continued Adahlia backstage.

In an effort to limit her dependency of blood transfusions, Adahlia will undergo an intense bone marrow transplant in early 2023. This, to attack the anemia preventing healthy blood cell growth.

“It’s not fully curative for all aspects of DBA. But in order to free her from the IV so she can travel and have more of a normal life… we’re hoping this transplant will give her that opportunity,” said a teary-eyed Erika.

Adahlia has one bone marrow match in the entire world. The transplant process could begin as soon as January in Seattle. The recovery process could include up to a year in full isolation as she’ll be severely immunocompromised.

“After bone marrow transplant and after college, I want to move somewhere that I can have horses and a lot of animals. And a bunch of space so that way I can go on trail rides. And I particularly like it in Colorado,” concluded Adahlia.

You can follow Adahlia’s journey and help raise awareness for DBA research through her personal website, adahliasadventures.com.

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Self-filmed, edited and produced in less than 24 hours.

Andrew Fancher for WIS News 10
Original air date: 12/04/2022
Original article: TBA

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