When Andrew was 14, he helped his soccer team win a Pennsylvania state championship on a Saturday in January 2007. The following Monday morning, his mom, Chris, took him to the pediatrician. They thought he had the flu.
Andrew felt intensifying pain in his side as he waited in the pediatrician’s office. Chris called Joe, Andrew's dad, as they thought it might have been his appendix, and Andrew needed to go to the children’s hospital. Joe’s biggest concern as he drove to the hospital was that Andrew would be well enough to play in a soccer tournament in a couple of weeks, with the assumption that it would be a routine appendectomy.
When the family got to the hospital, they were told it was leukemia and found out the type acute myeloid leukemia (AML) the day after. They were told this would be a marathon, not a sprint, and Andrew would be in the hospital for a while.
Joe went home to pack a bag and share with Andrew’s sister, Ali, that her brother had cancer. Andrew and Ali were 23 months apart. They joked that they were twins and had a really close bond. Joe’s wife called and said to come back to the hospital right away.
When Joe and Ali arrived, they learned he was going into septic shock. They stabilized him, let the family come into the room. Andrew then went into cardiac arrest.
As a family, they were pushed out. Any time the nurses would open the door to bring in more equipment they yelled to Andrew, as they felt that it would bring him comfort to hear their voices and he would respond to their desperate pleas.
Doctors resuscitated Andrew that night. He lived for 166 “bonus days”—the family says that because the doctor told them that he would not live through the night. Joe replied, “only God and Andrew know that.”
Those 166 bonus days were spent in the hospital. All but about two weeks were in the pediatric ICU. Andrew went through 50 surgical operations, four strokes, and a brain aneurysm.
On July 12, 2007, Andrew had his fourth stroke, and the family received the grim news that he had less than 48 hours to live. Joe’s birthday was the next day. Chris and Ali will say that he held on and did not die on his dad's birthday. Andrew took his last breath the day after in Ali’s arms. That was after everything that he went through in those 167 days.
Two weeks before Andrew was diagnosed with leukemia, he randomly asked his dad, “What’s my blood type?” And his dad had no idea because Andrew was always so healthy.
On day two in the hospital, they learned his blood type: B positive, which inspired the name of the organization. After that first day in the hospital, Andrew looked so incredibly sick. He went into the hospital 5 feet, 10 inches tall and 135 pounds. By the next morning, he weighed 200 pounds because of all the fluid he received just to keep his heart pumping.
Ali feared that the doctors and nurses would give up on Andrew. So, she started drawing posters on the door: “Don't come in this room unless you're going to BE POSITIVE.” It was a message that really spread around the world. While Andrew was in the hospital, they updated his CaringBridge—his page had over 900,000 hits while he was in the hospital. They had people putting prayers in the Western Wall in Jerusalem and lighting candles at the Grotto at Notre Dame.
And so, after he passed away, Joe made the decision, with the support of his family, not to go back to his career. He put everything into starting The Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation.
Ali had a remarkable relationship with her brother and, in conjunction with her parents, worked to turn that unimaginable loss into doing good for others. She is now Dr. Ali McDonough, a psychologist. She works at the foundation for the last couple of years as the Director of Psychosocial Services. She leads support groups, resources, and programs for kids and families around psychosocial support. The organization is honored to have her on the team because she brings a wonderful perspective as a psychologist and because of her life experiences.
“Andrew was my best friend. We were so close, and I’ll always be grateful for that. And because we were so close, the pain of losing him is even greater,” Ali says.
She continues, “there is a void that can't be filled when you lose a sibling. Andrew should’ve been standing by my husband’s side as a groomsman in our wedding. Instead, my husband left that spot open where Andrew would have been. We should’ve been able to celebrate Andrew’s graduations, his wedding, and see him become a dad and uncle. My kids know their uncle Andrew through our stories and pictures. It makes me smile when my daughter picks up her toy phone to call Andrew and have a conversation with him, or when my son proudly shares that Andrew is his uncle. I just wish we could really call him or get one more hug. Not only did cancer steal these opportunities from Andrew, but my family was robbed of these moments too.”
Joe will often say that while he's living his worst nightmare, he's also incredibly blessed. They had so much support while they were in the hospital, but they met so many families who didn't have that same support. And so, when they created The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, it was very intentional to help families where they are with their unmet needs.
Today, The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation is the largest provider of financial assistance to families of kids with cancer in the United States, helping over 4,000 families with six and a half million dollars of assistance last year and a global funder of childhood cancer research.
Andrew's life, and unfortunately his loss, have left such a legacy and have helped thousands and thousands of people. Andrew's family continues to honor him and pay it forward to other kids.
“Unfortunately, the success of the foundation can’t bring Andrew back. But, we can help so many families in his name, both with critical living expenses and better therapeutic options,” Joe says.
E. Anders Kolb, MD, a world-renowned pediatric hematologist oncologist and researcher, president and chief executive officer of Blood Cancer United, worked for years as the Chief of Hematology and Oncology at the hospital where Andrew was treated. He started there right after Andrew passed away. Joe has gotten to know him really well, and Dr. Kolb has chaired The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation Scientific Advisory Board for many years.
The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation's involvement and partnership with Blood Cancer United supported the effort to preserve access to luveltamab (Luvelta) and get the remaining doses of medication to kids. It was important to make a real, tangible difference and give kids access to treatment. If the opportunity can save more kids, that will be a “yes” from Joe and The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation every time.
“Kids with cancer need more options, not fewer,” Joe says. “I’ve known Dr. Kolb for nearly twenty years and have tremendous respect for him. When he told me that some children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) would be losing a therapeutic option, I was shocked and disappointed. That’s just not acceptable. It was obvious that we had to work together to ensure that Luvelta remains available to kids with AML.
“My son, Andrew, died from AML,” Joe continues. “I cannot imagine being told that a drug that could save his life was being taken off the market. I applaud Andy and Blood Cancer United for leading this noble, lifesaving effort.”
Joe
Family member and supporter
