Glimmer Of Hope

Baby Elyse Yu finds a bone marrow match

The fight for their baby’s life is not yet over, but Tim and Susan Yu received some encouraging news.

In July, KoreAm ran a story about the Yus’ daughter Elyse who suffers from the rare blood disease hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The only hope for her survival is a bone marrow transplant. 

After searching for a bone marrow match within the Korean community, blood tests have shown that Erin, Elyse’s triplet sister, qualifies as a donor. 

The Yus still have a difficult journey ahead of them. Pre-bone marrow transplant chemotherapy comes with many side effects, both short and long term. And complications can arise during and after the transplant.  

But the Yus know they are not alone. Messages of encouragement bombard Elyse’s Web site (www.elyseyu.com) daily. 

“We have been immensely blessed by the outpouring of support,” says Tim. “We are so proud of the Korean Americans that have responded to the need, and we hope that there will be more opportunities to hear them.”