Teen Loses Ongoing Battle with Leukemia

A teenage girl from Syracuse, New York recently lost her long battle with leukemia at the age of 15. The girl reportedly served as an inspiration to central New Yorkers who joined together to help save her life. Several members of the community joined together and donated bone marrow in attempt to prolong the girls life; however, her illness had progressed to an untreatable state and her life was taken late last week.

Leukemia Proves to be Untreatable

Eunique Darby was only a freshman at Corcoran High School when she was hospitalized for her illness. She was reportedly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was nine years old and has been treated for the cancer ever since.

While recovering from a bone marrow transplant she received at the Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, she suddenly died. Darby’s donor match was discovered in August after doctors had to restart their search in May when problems were found with the first donor.

During her search for the right match, drivers were held to encourage the community, particularly those of African-American decent to join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry. The response was phenomenal; though despite the effort, Darby’s life was taken at a young age due to this fatal illness.

Leukemia Details

Leukemia is a form of cancer that doctors and researchers continue to study and find better treatments for. In some cases, the illness is hereditary; however, in others leukemia develops due to exposure to benzene or radiation. Treatments are available for this type of cancer, though depending upon the time of diagnosis and the body’s response to treatments and therapies, the cancer can at times be fatal.