Glassport to hold blood drive in honor of teen recovering from brain tumor
Jasiah Jones’ family wants to replenish the blood that was used to save his life.
“It was like a punch in the gut!”
That’s how Casey Jones felt when she was told that her 12-year-old son had cancer.
The family’s nightmare began in November 2022 when she discovered her son Jasiah had a severe headache and couldn’t move the left side of his body.
Jones and her husband, Jerry, rushed their son to the emergency room at UPMC McKeesport Hospital. The emergency room doctors soon realized Jasiah was seriously ill and ordered him flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
They received the news no family wants to hear: their son was suffering from a rare form of brain cancer.
“It came from out of nowhere, or that’s how it seemed,” Casey said. Jasiah, who is on the autism spectrum, had been suffering from headaches and migraines for some time. The boy’s doctors did not believe his headaches indicated any serious problems and prescribed medications for his pain.
Doctors at Children’s Hospital explained that Jasiah was suffering from intracranial sarcoma, an extremely rare form of cancer. Jasiah’s disease was so rare that even the oncologists at Children’s Hospital were unfamiliar with it, Casey said. They conferred with their colleagues from around the country to decide the best treatment plan for Jasiah.
Doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor that was causing Jasiah’s paralysis. That was followed by months of chemotherapy, radiation and physical therapy.
“The doctors were wonderful and everyone at Children’s was so kind,” his mother said.
Surgeons asked if she would permit them to retain samples of the tumor they removed from her son for medical research. Jones willingly complied in the hopes her son’s illness could help other children.
During his surgery and follow- up treatments, Jasiah required many units of both platelets and whole blood.
During Jasiah’s hospitalization, Glassport Council President Anthony Colecchi organized several blood drives in the borough to help out their young citizen. Prior to the drive to support her son, Casey had never donated blood.
“I never realized how important it was,” she said. “The blood people donated helped my son get better.”
Jasiah recovered and left the hospital on his 13th birthday. After a recent follow-up appointment, Casey and Jerry learned their son is a healthy 14-year-old.
The family and Glassport have decided to “pay it forward” and organize another blood drive to replenish the blood used to save Jasiah’s life.
The Jasiah Jones Blood Replenishment Drive will take place at the new Glassport Borough Building at 12 Monongahela Ave. (the old Tube City Metals building) from 1 to 7 p.m. July 1. Appointments are recommended, but not required.
Those who wish to donate can make a reservation by going to vitalant. org and entering Account Code 10054952 or by calling 1-877-25VITAL (1-877258-4825).
“I never realized how important it was. The blood people donated helped my son get better.”
CASEY JONES
