- Video shows MSU senior student, Mychaela Lovelace, sharing her story of getting from childhood to the graduation stage
- At a young age, Mychaela Lovelace was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a rare blood disease that attacks your bone marrow.
- "I was told I wouldn’t make it to the age of seven,” explained MSU senior, Mychaela Lovelace.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
I'm your MSU neighborhood reporter, Lauren Lendzion.
Soon, thousands of students will graduate from Michigan State University and step into their careers, but what we all may not know is the story behind how they got to where they are.
I recently spoke with one MSU senior who shared her inspirational journey from childhood to the graduation stage.
"I was told I wouldn’t make it to the age of seven,” explained MSU senior, Mychaela Lovelace.
At a young age, Mychaela Lovelace was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia, a rare blood disease that attacks your bone marrow.
"I was diagnosed with the severest form, meaning, in order for me to live I needed a bone marrow transplant, Or they needed to reverse my marrow,” said Lovelace.
In the midst of undergoing a procedure for which doctors tried to reverse Mychaela’s marrow, the unthinkable happened, "And it caused me to code. And almost have a stroke. All of my blood pressure and my vital signs were going up, and they literally told my parents to get out of the room when they were trying to revive me," explained Lovelace.
After surviving a near-death experience, Mychaela searched the marrow list for roughly a year, before she received a call, she will never forget, "And they said we have a perfect match for her", exclaimed Lovelace
Through her faith in God, Mychaela underwent a successful bone marrow transplant, later motivating her to join the Be The Match organization, helping others like her find a perfect donor match.
"I just always wanted to give hope and aspire other people as the first African American to receive a ten out of ten unrelated match," stated Lovelace.
Through her volunteering at organizations like Be The Match, Mychaela continues to use her journey of healing to help bring healing to others, and now as a graduating senior at MSU, Mychaela is taking the mission to a whole new level.
"I want to be a nurse because I give compassion to everyone, especially to individuals who are young that are going through exactly what I went through. It's a difference between being a nurse, and being someone that's there as a nurse too. I want to be someone that a patient or the caregiver can talk to and it's not just about medical terminology. It's about being there from the standpoint of, I've been there," explained Lovelace.
As Mychaela marks her end at Michigan State University and heads into the world of nursing, she shared with me the thought she is reflecting on the most.
"I can say like, I haven't gave up. Like there will be times I am going to class and I'm sick, But I have to go. And I go to work, and I have to go. But, I always remain motivated because at the end of the day, I know I'm here for a reason," reiterated Lovelace.
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