Seth and Leilah Washington made headlines when 10-year-old Leilah helped her little brother beat cancer by volunteering to be his stem cell donor.
Seth was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in 2023 at age 5 and needed a bone marrow transplant, but no one on the national marrow registry had been a 100% match for him.
Two years after the transplant, Seth is thriving, and his parents, Michael and Lynette, have had time to reflect on the experience. They live in Baltimore with Leilah (12), Seth (8) and their two other children, Ethan (10) and Nathan (5).
How did your son being diagnosed with MDS affect your family life?
Lynette Washington (LW): It was around spring break, and we were planning to go to the Poconos, but he was showing signs of something that was different from strep throat. We took him to the pediatrician, and then we had to head to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. It was a complete disruption of everything, because everything had to be put on pause for us to dig deep and understand what was going on with Seth.
How did you balance your work life and family life with medical care?
LW: When Seth went into treatment for the full-blown bone marrow transplant, I went on leave. I’m chief operating officer for Baltimore City Public Schools, but by the time this happened, it was summer and our children were on summer break. Michael was in the early stages of starting a small construction business, though, and he took a huge hit dealing with this while trying to manage clients. It was pretty tough. We had family from Chicago move in with us and help us carry the workload.
How did you explain such a major life event to your children?
Michael Washington (MW): We just expressed the truth of what had happened — that Seth had a really serious illness, and that we had faith that God would come through. We wanted them to know that everything would be alright and to not instill a sense of fear or worry in them but of hope that their brother would come through and be alright.
Tell me about the bone marrow transplant from your perspective. How did you feel when Leilah volunteered to be Seth’s donor?
LW: We were hesitant about it initially … We wanted to be sure that this wouldn’t be something she would regret or that would be traumatic for her. I remember Michael taking her on a walk and talking to her about what was happening, and that she was a 100% match.
Leilah was nervous, because she’s nervous about getting shots, but it was a painless procedure. But we wanted her to be sure that this was her choice and that it was something she really wanted to do. And she decided that it was something that was very important to her, and that she wanted to do that for her brother. We’re very proud.
It’s been two years since the diagnosis and the bone marrow transplant. How are your kids doing now?
LW: They’re doing well. Everyone is very sensitive to Seth whenever he has a fever or anything, but he’s in 100% remission, which is huge, and he’s back at school. He’s getting bigger and catching up in school, so everyone’s doing well now.
Do you have any advice for other parents in a similar situation?
LW: Don’t give up hope, and accept help. It’s difficult when you have so many people coming in offering aid, since it’s not something most people are used to, but you’re definitely going to need it. You should also be sure to check in with siblings who are not experiencing the illness and ask them how they feel and support them. They may not articulate it, but they’re experiencing and processing things in their own ways while everyone is focused on the child who’s ill.
MW: Some people say “I want to keep this private,” but you never know who can be a blessing to you when you don’t tell people what you’re going through.
Family Favorites
Dinner: Barbecue chicken or pizza
Local Spot: Sherwood Gardens
Vacation Spot: Costa Rica
Game: The Game of Life
Family Activity: Biking
