After cancer battle, family of young Lexington girl urges others to donate blood

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Watching Mallary Greeman swim, splash and have fun, one would never know that just a year ago her body was barely treading water.

“She’s been through a lot,” said her mother, Margo.

It started with stomach pains. On August 26, 2021 Mallary’s parents took her to the emergency room. Doctors discovered she had cancer: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

“An amazingly shocking diagnosis for somebody that went in there thinking they’d be home to get the other two kids off the school bus,” Margo Greeman said.

That was the first of 72 straight days that Mallary, 8, spent in the hospital - including two-and-a-half months of tests, feeding tubes, five week-long rounds of chemotherapy, and isolation.

“I think her biggest complaint the whole time of being in hospital,” Greeman said, “it wasn’t the drugs or the chemo, it was not being able to leave and see her brother and sister.”

Through it all, Mallary also received four transfusions of whole blood and another transfusion of platelets. Those are reasons Mallary’s loved ones - and even some neighbors - now make a habit of donating blood.

“I can guarantee you that I sit there and I think of my daughter when I’m giving that blood,” Greeman said. “Without a doubt. She’s my motivation, and I would hope a motivation for others to do the same.”

Mallary has been cancer-free for nine months, her family said. It is clear that this tough third grader - who has already bounced back from so much - is now ready just to be a kid.

You can help out other patients just like Mallary by donating blood at the WKYT/Kentucky Blood Center blood drive September 7-8 at KBC’s Andover, Beaumont, Frankfort and Corbin locations.

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