ARLINGTON, Mass. (WHDH) — An Arlington woman’s rare blood disorder helped her and her husband build their family after they adopted three girls with the same exact disorder.
Tracy Antonelli and her husband Patrick adopted the three girls from China. Tracy and her daughters all have thalassemia, a disorder where the body does not produce enough red blood cells. The disorder affects around 2,000 people in the United States.
Emmie, Rosie and Frannie, who are 7, 6 and 3 years old, receive blood transfusions at Boston Children’s Hospital every three weeks. The girls call it “getting new blood.”
Antonelli said the girls were unable to get this medical treatment in China and she is grateful that having thalassemia brought them all together.
“It’s really what put me on this journey, it’s what brought this whole family together,” said Antonelli.
Antonelli said she is sharing her family’s story to highlight the importance of blood donations.
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