4-year-old Chilliwack girl battling leukemia awaits bone marrow donor, and a possibly longer road ahead

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There is some good news to report. For example, Lane says Asha is off isolation. Last Thursday, she went on her first exploration around the unit in a little wheelchair, doing a scavenger hunt with big smiles. She spotted a tricycle and declared, “I could probably ride that one today.” Lane says this is typical of Asha, who can barely stand without assistance right now.

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Asha’s energy fluctuates throughout the day. Some of her daily goals consist of walking across the room, sitting at a table for a craft, and long snuggles in bed watching movies.

“She has watched KPop Demon Hunters every single day since admission,” Lane noted. “Every night she wants someone snuggled up beside her while she falls asleep. There’s an extra bed in her room at BC Children’s, so (parents) April or Joel are always there—she never has to wake up alone. She understands she needs to be here to get rid of the cancer, even though she really wants to go home. Some nights are harder than others.”

Image: GoFundMe via Lane Steel, from Joel and April Korytko

The whole family is being tested as potential bone marrow donors. If none of them is a match, the search expands to Canadian Blood Services to find an unrelated donor. The transplant could occur after Asha’s third round of chemo, likely in late March.

“When that happens, the bubble gets even smaller—no visitors, minimal entry by staff, everything meticulously cleaned,” Lane said. “Infection control will be intense for a few months post-transplant.
The timeline for returning to anything resembling normal life could be nine months or two years—everything depends on how Asha responds and what the family needs along the way.”

In the meantime, people from across Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley continue to support the family in practical ways. Over $92,000 has been raised through GoFundMe from over 550 donors. The GoFundMe can be found here.

“When we launched, we were working with an 8-10 month treatment estimate,” Lane said. “We now know the road is longer and more complex. We’ve increased the goal to $125,000 to reflect extended income replacement, the continued logistics being split between home and BC Children’s Hospital, and the support Reed and Ember need as their lives remain upended. Your donations are what allow Joel or April to be curled up next to Asha every night. This is the beginning of a long road back to normal, and we’re so thankful to everyone who has partnered with us so far. Our plan is to continue to update regularly on Asha’s treatment and recovery so you can continue to be a part of her journey.”