SAN ANTONIO — Lane Hardin looks like your average 10-year-old, but on July 28, he was diagnosed with Aplastic anemia.
"Aplastic anemia is a blood disorder where bone marrow essentially fails and stops producing blood cells that are necessary," said his mother Kelly Hardin. The diagnosis was devastating at first. "You have your initial shock, and there's a moment of grief, and then we got to the point where we said, 'let's just tackle this and get him healthy again,'" she said.
Lane is going through immuno-suppresive therapy, and his father says its been an up and down battle.
"From mid-August to very early October, we spent 72 days straight in the hospital. We got to celebrate all the holidays at home with family so that was huge and definitely a small milestone for us," his father Ty Hardin said.
Another milestone just a few weeks away is coming thanks to Brian Lujan, the owner of Big Lou's Pizza, and their annual blood donor drive. Last year, Big Lou's collected 495 units of blood, this year they're aiming for 650.
"Having big Lou's reach out and be such a huge piece of the community, San Antonio being in our hearts, and having San Antonio reach out is huge," Hardin said.
"Seven years ago, my father was diagnosed with Aplastic anemia and at the time, I had no idea what that was. He lived for six years with blood transfusions and platelets. Was it the best quality of life? Probably not for him, but I kept him around for six years," Lujan said.
Lujan's father was 73 when he was diagnosed, but Lane was only nine. Lujan told us, "When I heard about his condition, it hit really close to home because of my father. Aplastic anemia, the same diagnosis my father had. He has a much better chance because of his age, only 10, so I pray to God it works out for them."
Big Lou's seventh annual blood drive takes place on January 19. You'll not only get a free pizza, a t-shirt, and movie tickets, but you'll also be giving the gift of saving lives.