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My Family Remembers

From: Radio Rookies
Length: 07:32

Edward Llanos digs into his family's past to uncover the lasting effects of his brush with a near-fatal illness. Read the full description.

Edward_small Just three out of every million Americans are diagnosed each year with a potentially fatal blood disease called Aplastic Anemia. Edward was one of them. He was 12 years old when he entered the hospital and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from his littlest brother, followed by months in the hospital and a year recuperating at home. Once he fully recovered, he didn't look back. Now a healthy high school senior, Edward assumes that everyone around him has moved on, too. But when he decides to revisit this part of his past, he discovers that his each of his family members experienced his illness in ways he didn't (or couldn't) recognize at the time:

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Piece Description

Just three out of every million Americans are diagnosed each year with a potentially fatal blood disease called Aplastic Anemia. Edward was one of them. He was 12 years old when he entered the hospital and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant from his littlest brother, followed by months in the hospital and a year recuperating at home. Once he fully recovered, he didn't look back. Now a healthy high school senior, Edward assumes that everyone around him has moved on, too. But when he decides to revisit this part of his past, he discovers that his each of his family members experienced his illness in ways he didn't (or couldn't) recognize at the time:

Broadcast History

This piece aired on WNYC and ATC in 2006

Timing and Cues

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please use the suggested host intro and outro. If you would like to re-write the intro, please email radiorookies@wnyc.org.

HOST, INTRO: Out of a million Americans, three will be diagnosed with a rare and potentially fatal blood disorder called Aplastic Anemia. Radio Rookie Edward Llanos (JAH-nos) was one of them. He was 12-years old when he entered the hospital and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Now, Edward has friends who have no idea what he went through. Edward decided to retrace what happened?and wound up discovering that his family experienced his illness in ways he didn't (or couldn't) recognize at the time.

HOST OUTRO:
This story was produced by Kaari (KAR-ee) Pitkin and Miguel Macias (mah-SEE-us) of WNYC's Radio Rookies. To learn more, go to WNYC.ORG.

Related Website

http://www.wnyc.org/radiorookies