Meet Nicki

The 1998 holiday season was particularly blessed for Ray and Michele, whose beautiful baby girl Nicki was born on Dec. 22. Perfectly healthy as an infant and a toddler, Nicki suddenly developed chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) in August 2002 after getting an ordinary summer cold. ITP, which has no cure and whose cause is unknown, is an autoimmune disease that destroys platelets, the sticky cell fragments in blood that help seal off wounds and form clots to stop bleeding. Nicki has symptoms very similar to that of a hemophiliac, including excessive bleeding, heavy bruising, blood blisters and pinpoint spots of blood, called petechiae, under the skin caused by tiny broken blood vessels.

Under the care of Dr. Dana Matthews of Children’s Hematology-Oncology Department, Nicki receives regular treatments designed to divert the immune system causing an increase in her platelet count.  One such treatment is an IV procedure that can take from four to six hours. A specialist from Children’s Child Life Department is always on hand to help Nicki cope with the hardest part, the insertion of the needle. Using a variety of strategies to reduce Nicki’s anxiety, Child Life specialists make the experience “bearable,” says Nicki’s dad.

Now approaching her 10th birthday, the outgoing Nicki is an excellent student and loves art, ballet, swimming and playing games. “We are very grateful for the astute care provided by the hospital and by Dr. Matthews,” say Nicki’s parents. “With their support, we anticipate Nicki becoming a successful artist, dancer or whatever she chooses to be.”