Teenage daughter’s bone marrow saves dad’s life

For Hai Trinh, his disease started gradually. Fatigue. Bruising easily. He thought little of it.

As a mechanic, husband and father of two girls, he just kept pushing forward, attributing the persistent health challenges to his long working hours and physically demanding job.

When Hai finally went to his doctor, he learned he had low blood platelets, also called thrombocytopenia. The condition indicates less than 150,000 platelets per microliter of blood due to the failure of marrow cells to produce platelets. This leads to bruising, pinpoint red spots called petechiae and prolonged bleeding. Hai was also experiencing tiredness and other symptoms.

That was in the early 2010s.

Playing the waiting game

Hai Trinh and his youngest daughter, Viana.

Over the next five years, Hai tried several different treatments to improve his condition and either got a partial response, no response or had side effects from the medications.

Then he met Mehrdad Abedi, a UC Davis Health bone marrow transplant doctor who serves as part of the stem cell transplant program team.

"One of my hematologists recommended I go see Dr. Abedi," Hai said. "He suggested a bone marrow transplant. I told him I was scared of the procedure because I would have to be off work for a few months. That is very inconvenient for me because I work full time, and I am the main income for the family."

A bone marrow transplant is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into the body to replace bone marrow that is not producing healthy blood cells. Also called a stem cell transplant, the procedure may use cells from the patient's own body (autologous transplant) or from a donor (allogeneic transplant).

Despite the promise of potentially curing the disease, Hai decided against the transplant. But his symptoms got worse. He had multiple hospitalizations and weekly clinic appointments. He became more and more anemic, requiring weekly blood transfusions. Hai also had infections from low white blood cell counts. Still, he waited and put up with uncomfortable symptoms for another five years.

One of my hematologists recommended I go see Dr. Abedi. He suggested a bone marrow transplant. I told him I was scared of the procedure." -Hai Trinh, bone marrow transplant patient

Time was running out

By this time, Hai was miserable. More than a decade of living with this condition had taken a toll. Even worse: A bone marrow biopsy revealed that his bone marrow was almost gone.

"Hai was still very hesitant to have the transplant, but as this disease progressed, he realized his work and life were already complicated by being in the hospital or being in a clinic all the time," Abedi said. "At this point, he had hypoplastic MDS/severe aplastic anemia and agreed that he just couldn't continue like this."

Aplastic anemia is a condition that happens when your bone marrow stops making enough new blood cells. A rare and serious disorder, aplastic anemia can develop at any age. It can happen suddenly or come on slowly and worsen over time like it had for Hai.

Hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a rare form of myelodysplastic syndrome in which the bone marrow has fewer cells than it should. In essence, it represents a "bone marrow failure" subtype of MDS characterized by peripheral cytopenias (low blood counts) and dysplasia (abnormal development or growth of cells, tissues or organs). These two conditions often look similar in blood tests and in the symptoms patients experience and can progress to acute leukemia if left untreated. "He had zero chance of any long-term survival without the transplant," Abedi said.

Hai was still very hesitant to have the transplant. But at this point, he had hypoplastic MDS/severe aplastic anemia and agreed that he just couldn't continue like this."-Mehrdad Abedi, bone marrow transplant doctor

With this news, Hai finally agreed to the transplant.

Hai's best chance of survival

Hai's next challenge was to find a life-saving donor since he wasn't producing bone marrow of his own.

The quest for a match was underway.

"Searching for an available, best matched donor who is also agreeable, eligible and suitable to donating bone marrow stem cells - which is the preferred graft source for Mr. Trinh's diagnosis - can be challenging," said Grace Chan, UC Davis Health stem cell transplant nurse coordinator. "Especially given his ethnic background as a Vietnamese American."

Plus, stem cells from non-family members are usually not the ideal option.

"When we have an unrelated donor, that increases risk of transplant related complications," Abedi said. "We really wanted to explore the idea of having a family member, ideally one of his children."

UC Davis pediatric stem cell transplant program

Kelly Yurkosky, left, and Grace Chan are pediatric and adult bone marrow transplant coordinators at UC Davis Health. The two helped Viana and Hai navigate the bone marrow donation and transplant process.

A donation of pediatric bone marrow (or peripheral blood stem cell) to an adult offers significant survival benefits due to the quality of younger stem cells. These grafts are more robust, often leading to better transplant outcomes, improved long-term survival, reduced graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and faster immune recovery for the adult recipient.

Although pediatric to adult stem cell donations are not unique, UC Davis - a leading transplant center in California - had just launched its pediatric program. Perfect timing for Hai.

But first, the tests. And then a serious conversation with his children - perhaps one of them could be the right donor.

"My parents never really told us details about dad's health," said Hai's youngest daughter, Viana. "He's been sick for so many years, so it was a surprise when they said they needed my sister and me to get tested … like now."

Hai's wife and Viana's mom, Tracy, had mixed emotions about what could come next.

"At the beginning, I was worried for both my daughter and my husband," Tracy said. "The doctor explained it to us, but I was afraid it would not turn out the way we wanted."

The best match

Hai's two daughters, including 17-year-old Viana, drove to UC Davis Health to get their blood tested. Hai's medical team was elated with the results: Both daughters were acceptable donors for their dad. The transplant team suggested Viana, who has the same blood type as Hai.

"When we were able to identify Mr. Trinh's teenage daughter as the best possible donor option, he felt a mix of happiness yet worry about the bone marrow harvest procedure his daughter would endure," said Chan, the nurse coordinator. "We were able to provide him with the reassurance that his daughter would be under the excellent, experienced care of the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program, which brought forth feelings of relief and ease."

Viana was also nervous about what was to come.

"The idea of going under anesthesia scared me. This would be the first procedure I had ever had," Viana said. "But I reminded myself that the only thing I really wanted to do was to help my dad."

Viana consulted with the transplant team and agreed to make what she called a "life-changing" decision for her and her father.

"I didn't think I would ever be able to do anything like that at my age," she marveled.

The idea of going under anesthesia scared me. This would be the first procedure I had ever had. But I reminded myself that the only thing I really wanted to do was to help my dad."-Viana Trinh, bone marrow donor

But the team at UC Davis was ready to help make that happen.

"Through close collaboration between the adult and newly established pediatric team, our program was able to offer Mr. Trinh the best possible opportunity for a curative outcome," said Kelly Yurkosky, pediatric bone marrow transplant coordinator. "To me, the Trinh family embodies the vision of our integrated adult and pediatric stem cell transplant program at UC Davis: to serve the greater Sacramento region by providing access to the stem cell transplant and cellular therapy treatments our patients need."

Transplant pending

By now it was the Fall of 2025. As the transplant date drew near, the family learned that the preparation would take longer than they wanted because the medical team recommended Hai undergo a round of chemotherapy.

Hai was getting anxious.

"We did all the tests and the consultations. It was a little scary when I talked to the chemo doctor because it may be harmful. But they told me I must do it because they wanted to get rid of the bone marrow by cleaning up inside my body before they put the new cells in."

However, the delay was problematic for the family because Viana was soon leaving for her freshman year of college.

"I was worried about Viana. I knew she would need time to recover, and I wanted to be beside her so I could take care of her, too," said Tracy. "But that wasn't going to happen."

In the meantime, Hai counted down to the procedure: "Minus 9 days, minus 8, minus 7," Hai recalled. "And then zero days and it was time for the transplant."

Dad and daughter undergo dual procedures

Everything went well with part one of the process: Viana's bone marrow donation. It involves general anesthesia and inserting a needle to extract bone marrow from two spots on the back of the pelvis.

Viana and her dad, Hai, reunite after she had her procedure to donate bone marrow to him.

Viana was surprised by how easy it was and how good she felt. She couldn't wait to see her dad.

"Once I was able to get up, I waddled over to my dad's floor. My stem cells were already getting transfused into him," Viana said. "I cried. It was very emotional for me."

Within a week of her procedure, Viana and her mom were scheduled to drive to San Jose.

"She rested for five days and then I moved her down there," Tracy said. "Hai was still in the hospital. It was heart wrenching for us."

Viana struggled over the next month or so, but not from the procedure. She missed her family and was worried about her dad.

"My lower back was sore for a week or two, but I was still able to walk. It was manageable," Viana said. "But I was away from home for the first time and was missing my parents."

Hai continued to recover at UC Davis Medical Center and provided updates to Viana during video chats.

Hai spent several weeks in the hospital recovering from his bone marrow transplant. His doctor, Mehrdad Abedi, visited him to check on this progress.

"I remember this one day during my first few weeks at school. My mom FaceTimed me from the hospital and my dad had a beanie on," Viana said. "When he took the beanie off, he was bald, and I just started crying. It was hard to see him like that. But he had a smile on his face and looked happy. It was bittersweet."

New stem cells, new life

The happiness and smiles continue.

"I'm feeling OK now," Hai said a few months after the transplant. "Much better than before. I don't get bruising. I don't get bleeding. It's very good news."

According to Abedi, Hai has a 70-80% chance of being cured of the disease. Viana is hopeful.

Hai spends time with his family, from left to right: daughters, Emily and Viana, and his wife, Tracy.

"I want him to be satisfied in his life and don't want this disease to have any more effect than it already has," Viana said. "With what we both went through, I just hope for him to have a full recovery."

That remains to be seen, but Hai knows one thing for sure.

"I am forever grateful. For my daughters, my wife, the UC Davis Health staff," he said. "It was a miracle."

Don't wait

With this new lease on life, Hai also has a new perspective about delaying care.

"I wanted to fix it, but thought it would be horrible for me," Hai said. "But, you know, I was lucky because the doctors, staff, nurses, even the janitors were great people. They treated me like family. I felt very comfortable during my stay in the hospital."

Hai wants others to not fear the procedure.

"I would say to anybody who is in the same situation as me, make the decision to get the bone marrow transplant at UC Davis," Hai said. "Don't wait."

From the time he was in the hospital until after he arrived home, Hai made the heart sign as a tribute to his new lease on life.

Viana had equally encouraging words for anyone considering becoming a donor.

"I think it really needs to be emphasized that it's a really safe procedure," Viana said. "I don't think anyone should be scared about donating their stem cells or bone marrow because it could save a person's life."

Especially when that person is your father.

Viana's heroic role and her dad's recovery have altered her career plans.

"I already wanted to go into nursing, but now I am pursuing pediatric nursing because of my family's time at UC Davis," Viana said. "Our experience makes me hopeful for the future of medicine."

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