Young leukemia survivor grateful for lifesaving blood donations during years of treatment

SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- 11-year-old Mateo Cota of Arroyo Grande is living proof of just how important it is for people to donate blood.

Mateo, along with his mother Erika, are sharing his story and getting the word out in an effort to help promote the upcoming News Channel Day of Service Blood Drive, which is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 16 at all three Central Coast Vitalant blood centers.

Eleven days before his second birthday in Sept. 2013, Mateo was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The diagnosis began a long and difficult journey for both Mateo and his family, which included six years of various treatment plans.

"I was super skinny," said Mateo. "I couldn't eat anything no matter what is was and I really didn't do much. I sat in my room and I didn't get to do what I saw all these other kids doing. I felt like I was in a cage. I couldn't go out for six years, so it was pretty tough. I didn't feel like a regular kid."

Right from the beginning, young Mateo needed to battle hard to fight the disease.

"When he was first diagnosed, he was so severely (ill), they call it neutropenic, when they're down to nothing," said Mateo's mother Erika. "His hemoglobin was down to nothing. They weren't even sure how he was even functioning, so right away, there at Sierra Vista in San Luis Obispo, they gave him a transfusion."

That transfusion at Sierra Vista became the first of many Mateo required to keep him strong enough as he went through seemingly endless rounds of treatments.

"He has had so much blood," said Erika. "Multiple, multiple transfusions in the six years of treatment."

Mateo endured several different treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and finally what Erika says was his last option.

"On January 24th, 2019 Mateo had a lifesaving bone marrow transplant with his brother (Eddie) being his donor," said Erika, who added his brother Eddie and his father were the only two bone marrow matches in the entire world.

Nearly four years later, Mateo is doing great. He's healthy, happy, playing sports, and also attending school, which was something he wasn't able to do in person for three years.

"I really like it," said Mateo. "I get to socialize and see my friends. I missed a lot of that."

As Mateo and his family reflect on just how far he's come, they understand how important receiving blood has meant to his recovery.

"I'm super grateful because that saved my life," said Mateo.

With so many other children, as well as people of all ages, also facing life threatening situations daily, Erika has one message for the public, to please consider donating blood.

"You legitimately save lives by donating blood," said Erika. "It may take an hour or longer, but that little pinch, or feeling vulnerable, or feeling uncomfortable, ultimately saves lives and I just don't know how to stress that."

Erika emphasized that because of the many blood donations he received through the years, Mateo is now living his best life and is able to do the things that make him smile.

"He's thriving," said Erika. "He's able to be free and be a kid. He's goofy. He's funny He appreciates life. He loves friends and it's just beautiful to witness and see."

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Day of Service Blood Drive will be held from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, and Santa Barbara Vitalant locations.

For more information on the Fifth Annual News Channel Day of Service Blood Drive, click here.