Local couple to hold fundraiser for grandson

Sandi and Maynard Bills will be holding a Cookie Jar Auction for their grandson at 6 p.m. April 16 at the VFW.

Sandi works locally as a substitute teacher for the Hot Springs County School District as well as helping with the People for People Backpack Program. She also attends St. Francis Parish Catholic Church.

Sandi said her grandson Ty Miller has Stage 3 Polycythemia Rubra Vera with JAK2 mutation.

“It’s a rare blood disorder, usually a 60-year-old man would get it,” she said. “They have medications for older men who get the disease. For someone this young though, there are no medications. I mean, what do you give an 8-year-old boy so that it doesn’t affect his hormones or his growth or his organs?”

Ty was diagnosed with the disease at age 8 and is now 13. At Stage 3, Ty still has the chance to survive. However if he gets to Stage 4, he will not.

Sandi said his disease is a rare blood disorder where bone marrow fills with too many red blood cells and platelets, which increases the blood flow to create blood that is thicker than normal.

“It’s a life-threatening disease,” Bills said. “When he started puberty, he started getting big fibers in his blood which advanced the disease to Stage 3.”

Ty has begun all of the tests for his bone marrow transplant. He began chemotherapy on March 22 and the transplant will happen on April 1.

“The bone marrow transplant alone is $800,000,” she said. “That doesn’t include any other tests or doctor or hospital visits.”

Sandi said anything helps.

“He’s [Ty] got a great sense of humor,” she said. “He’s handling it better than Mom and Grandma. He’s donated hair three times to children to make wigs out of because he knows he will lose his. He’s a very special young man and I’m awful proud of him. He takes care of the ones being bullied. He’s a sweatheart.”

Sandi said she feels lucky to live in such a generous community.

“We’ve only been here a year and a half, but I can’t believe the kindness of the people,” she said.

For more information , call Sandi Bills at 406-489-2347.