CALDWELL, Idaho — A 5-year-old Caldwell boy is fighting for his life, and now his family finally has the news they’ve been praying for: a bone marrow donor match.
Back in May, Levi Hillius woke up in the night with severe leg pain. The next morning, his mom, Ashlie, noticed he looked pale and rushed him to the doctor. That same day, blood tests revealed something devastating.
“They told us he had acute myeloid leukemia,” Ashlie said. “It was high-risk and rare, and we learned that news in the same exact room where doctors told us our daughter had a brain tumor.”
Levi’s type of leukemia is rare, affecting just 0.3% of children, and is resistant to chemotherapy. Because of how severe his case was, doctors in Boise arranged for him to be flown by life flight to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a life flight to St. Jude’s like this,” said Maria, a St. Luke’s nurse who helped with the transfer. “It was the only safe way to get him specialized care.”
Learn more about Levi's journey to Tennessee.
In the months since, the Caldwell community has rallied around the family.
Neighbors have cared for pets and homes, while churches have organized events to support the Hilliuses and spread awareness about bone marrow donations.
“Every person who has donated or helped has meant so much,” Ashlie said. “Even from miles away, we don’t feel alone.”
Now, after months of waiting, Levi has a donor match — a critical step that could save his life.
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“It’s very exciting,” Nurse Maria said. “There’s a lot of testing and coordination involved, but this is a huge step forward.”
Levi’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses and continues to share updates on their Facebook page.
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