By early Wednesday, there wasn't any choice. Rachel was rushed into the operating room. She was brain dead. Dr. Sam Shemie, a critical care staff physician at Sick Kids, said Rachel had developed Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, an illness associated with the destruction of platelets. Shemie said ITP causes the body's immune system to destroy platelets.
Symptoms can include easy bruising and spots on the skin.
It was a children's version of the Holy Bible. She read that Bible cover to cover. This past summer, she joined colleagues in shaving their heads to raise funds for cancer research, as a show of support for a court worker who had the disease. Rachel chipped in her allowance. If there was a food drive, she wanted to help.