S.C. boy gives bone marrow to save sister

RIDGELAND, S.C. — While many elementary-age boys play with action figures and dream of being superheroes, 9-year-old Layton Busby of Ridgeland became a real-life hero for his family when he saved his sister.

In July, Layton’s older sister, Alexus “Lexi” Busby, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare condition that occurs when the body stops producing enough new blood cells because the bone marrow is damaged.

Instead of enjoying her teenage years by hanging out with friends, celebrating having a driver’s license, and being carefree, Lexi, 16, began a long period of doctor’s appointments, blood draws and surgery.

Layton and Lexi’s mom, Anna Busby, was the first to notice something was wrong with her.

She was sleeping more than usual, and she had bruises all over her body.

Anna Busby drew Lexi’s blood on July 13 and had it tested at St. Joseph’s/Candler in Bluffton, where she works as a medical oncology office assistant. The results showed Lexi’s white blood cells, hemoglobin and platelets were critically low. She was rushed to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Between July and October, Lexi underwent multiple blood and platelet transfusions, hoping doctors would be able to find a bone marrow match.

Donor matches can be difficult to find for bone marrow transplants, and siblings have the highest probability of being a match.

Both Layton and their 17-year-old brother, LJ, were tested.

LJ wasn’t a match. Layton was.

“When I picked Layton up from school, I remember telling him, ‘You’re a real life superhero, and you’re going to save your sister’s life,’” Anna Busby said. “He just smiled and said, ‘I am?’ I think he felt very good about it.”

Although the news was a relief, Anna Busby and her husband, Lamar, realized they had two children undergoing surgery and suffering. But their family is strong, she said, and they’ve been through trials before.

“I’m a breast cancer survivor,” she said. “And that’s nothing compared to this, probably because this is my daughter, and there’s nothing I can do to take the pain away.”

Lexi was admitted to the Medical University of South Carolina on Oct. 18 to start a high dose of chemotherapy, which caused her to lose her hair. She received the transplant from Layton on Oct. 25.

Before Layton’s operation, he visited his sister’s bedside and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

He was nervous but brave, their mother said.

“It was very overwhelming,” Anna Busby said. “I had to put it in God’s hands and know this is what needs to happen in order for my daughter to live and move on from this nightmare.”

After Layton’s surgery — between two and three hours in which doctors took 1,850 milliliters of bone marrow — hospital staff wrote “sister saver” and “bone marrow hero” with hearts on his bandages. A reminder of the great sacrifice he made at a young age.

“It’s worked out, and my baby boy is a real life superhero,” Anna Busby said.

Now, with both children recovered, the next milestone is when Lexi can come home to Ridgeland. They’re hoping for February. She was required to stay within a halfhour of the Medical University of South Carolina for the first 100 days following the transplant.

She’s been staying at a hotel, with only 60% of the costs covered by insurance, and her family takes turns staying with her. Her mother was there every day initially. Her father came on weekends. Now Lexi’s grandmother stays sometimes so Anna Busby can work part time again to help pay the hospital bills.

The journey has been tough emotionally, physically and financially, but Anna Busby said her perspective on life and what’s important has changed.