Carew’s Daughter Michelle Still Awaits Donor in Her Battle Against Leukemia
Michelle Carew, daughter of Angel coach Rod Carew, remains in critical but stable condition at Children’s Hospital in Orange with a potentially fatal form of leukemia.
Carew, 18, has been hospitalized since mid-September, waiting for a donor with matching bone marrow.
More than 32,000 prospective donors have called the national donor program on behalf of Carew.
“There have been days over the past month when she has been literally fighting for her life and survived,” said Orman Day, hospital spokesman. “She has shown some improvement of late.”
Michelle Millerick, the hospital’s bone marrow transplant coordinator, said Carew’s situation is more difficult because of a lack of available minority donors.
“There are 2 million people registered with the national donor program, and about 5% are African Americans,” Millerick said. “And [her] being biracial makes it even more difficult to find donors. That’s her biggest obstacle.”
Those interested in becoming donors can call (800) MARROW-2, Millerick said.
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