Brandyn's Story

“I’m on a crusade to get information out to pregnant women who have no idea that cord blood can save lives.”
--Susan Jarvis-Orr, mother of Brandyn, cured of leukemia with a cord blood transplant

Eleven-year-old Brandyn Orr, is a survivor. His struggle began at age 2 when a persistent fever led to a blood test that would change his family’s life forever. Brandyn had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Brandyn’s mother, Susan, was six months pregnant with her second son, Kaeyln, when Brandyn became ill. Fortunately, Brandyn’s doctor was aware that the new baby could bring a cure for Brandyn, and provide the miracle the family was praying for.

Susan soon learned that the newborn stem cells in Kaeyln’s cord blood might someday have the power to give Brandyn a healthy immune system. “I had never heard about cord blood banking before my son became ill,” said Susan. “If I had known about the procedure when I was pregnant with Brandyn there is no question that I would have saved his cord blood as well.”

After three agonizing years of chemotherapy, Brandyn’s leukemia went into remission. During that time, Susan gave birth to a third son, Devyn. Since becoming educated about the potential of newborn stem cells there was no doubt in Susan’s mind, that she would bank Devyn’s cord blood as well.

Brandyn has a relapse
Unfortunately, Brandyn’s battle with leukemia wasn’t over. On a family vacation in Florida, only six months after he completed chemotherapy, leukemia struck again. Weak and bruised, a six-year-old Brandyn complained to his parents about aches and pains.

“We took him to a clinic where they did a blood test and told us there was a 90% chance that he had relapsed,” said Susan. “We really had no idea what we were in for. What was to come became most challenging experience of our lives.”

Brandyn needed a stem cell transplant as soon as possible. His brother Kaeyln was not a match. Thankfully Devyn, who was only four months old, was a perfect match. “We were so glad we had saved Devyn’s cord blood. The doctors weren’t sure they could get enough bone marrow from a baby that young,” explained Susan. “Plus we didn’t want to put an infant through a painful procedure.”

Intense chemotherapy and radiation to his head and spine preceded
Brandyn’s cord blood transplant, which took place at University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. “Brandyn was so brave during all the radiation and chemo,” said Susan. “He never fought the nurses, or the shots, or anything.”

Thankful for a matching sample
Looking back on the situation now, Susan remembers being especially grateful about having perfectly matched sibling stem cells available to Brandyn. “Eighty percent of the battle is having that match. Thank God I didn’t have to go through searching the donor registries,” said Susan. “I saw so many patients in the transplant ward who suffered through many more complications than Brandyn because they didn’t have matching stem cells from within their own family.”

It’s been five years since Brandyn had his transplant. With his illness far behind him, Brandyn is healthy and strong. Susan, now the mother of four sons, offers this advice to expectant parents. “Save the cord blood. If you don’t feel it is necessary to save it for your family, then donate it,” said Susan. “You can do something to help others—something that could save someone’s life.”

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