'Thank you for saving my life': Fredericton girl meets bone marrow donor

RayneBishop has always had a love for superheroes, particularly the comic book character Black Widow. But earlier this week, the seven-year-old embraceda new hero, Tim Gibson, the man who saved her life.

At nine-months-old, the Fredericton girl was diagnosed with severe congenital neutropenia, a rare condition that results in a shortage of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that plays a role in inflammation and fighting off infection in the body.

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In Atlantic Canada, the Fredericton girl is the only person known to have developed this type ofcondition andthe fifth inCanada. Doctors said most babies whohave the condition don't live past the age of twoand if they do, are likely to develop cancer.

"I went to bed every night wondering when that day was going to come," saidRayne'smom, April Bishop. "Itwas the last thing in my mind and the first thing on my mind, 'Is today going to be the day that she was going to develop cancer?'"

In the summer of 2014, right before a trip to the United States, thattime came.

The disease eventually developed into myelodysplasticsyndrome, also known as MDS, a disease of the blood and bone marrow, and AML, which is acute myeloid leukemia.

"It was just like my heart was being ripped out of my chest," said Bishop.

The family changedplansanddroveRayne to the IWK in Halifax.

"It's the worst feeling that any parent could ever have for their child."

Waiting for a miracle

To beat the cancer, Rayneneeded a bone marrow transplant, and she needed it soon.

"There were no other options for Rayne," Bishop said.

Doctors tested Bishop, husband Steve andson Hunter, none of whom were a match.

Then along came Tim Gibson from Sayreville, N.J., about 55 kilometres south of New York City, who wanted to give bone marrow donation a shot.

Gibson, who works with a shipping company,had always felt a need to helpothers, he said.

He'sdonated bloodnumerous times, but at 21 he wanted to do something more.

It doesn't really hurt me, other than a little needle.- Tim Gibson, bone marrow donor

"I figured that while I'm here, if I could help someone it doesn't really hurt meother than a little needle," said Gibson, who is now 24.

Hemade the decisionafter a friend suggested he look into a U.S. bone marrow program.

"If I cansave someone's life,mightas well."

And that's exactly what he did.

In the fall of 2014, Raynereceived Gibson's bone marrow in a transplant in Toronto, whichtreated all three of her conditions. Her recovery took more than a year.

But there was one more thing.

For more than two years, members of Rayne's family dreamed of meeting the man who saved her,so she could utter one simple phrase.

"Thank you for saving my life," RayneBishop told CBC News.

Meeting over lunch

At 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, the Fredericton familydrovedown to Gibson's hometown in New Jersey.

The next day, over a plate ofchicken fingers and fries in a small diner and despite a huge pile of nerves, theirdreams finally came true.

"All I could do was just smile and hug the man," said Bishop, who initially reached out to Gibson through Facebook a few months ago.

Gibson was there with his fiance,Erica, and five-month old daughter, Sierra.

"He was the only one that could save our baby," Bishop said. "I needed to see this person if we didn't find a match, things would have been totally different."

During the encounter, the families talked about Rayne andher surgery, whileGibson recounted his own experience.

Before the transplant, the New Jersey native underwent tests, blood work and a 30-minute operation, when doctors extracted three to four bags of marrow from his back.

A process, Gibson said, that was worth it.

"It was just so amazing seeing the family and seeing ... the little girl I had saved," he said. "It seemsso surreal nowit's so perfect."

'Like family'

The Bishops are meeting Gibson's parents on Tuesday night for supper and then heading home to New Brunswick.

Gibson, who wants to make a trip to New Brunswick someday,said he plans to donate again and recommends others do the same.

"Itwas just something I could do to help someone else," he said."It's like we're family now."

These days, Rayne, who is going into Grade 3, enjoysdancing, playing soccer and hanging out with friends. One day, shehopes to becomea veterinarian.

And although her mom still worries about her daughter'shealth, she's hopeful Rayne will do whatever she sets her mind to.

"She's had so many hurdles to go over, and now she's on the path to living a normal life," said Bishop."I want her to live a normal life like any child deserves."