Chapter 1 - The Hidden Diagnosis
Ben pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from his jacket pocket and placed it into my trembling hands.
I looked down at the document and saw the official logo of the most prestigious oncology hospital in the state.
My name was printed boldly at the very top of the page.
According to the medical file, I had been diagnosed with an incredibly rare and aggressive genetic blood disease.
The prognosis stated clearly that I had less than a year to live if I did not receive a highly specific stem cell transplant.
I stared at Ben in absolute confusion, telling him that I felt perfectly fine and had never taken any medical tests.
Ben explained that Rosie had accidentally opened a letter from my former doctor two years ago.
She had secretly met with specialists all over the country to find a cure for my condition.
The only viable treatment required umbilical cord blood from a perfectly matched genetic relative.
Rosie had deliberately chosen to get pregnant through complex IVF solely to generate the stem cells needed to save my life.
Ben had stepped in to marry her and act as the father so she would not have to face the terrifying medical journey alone.
Tears streamed down my face as I finally understood the sheer magnitude of my sister's incredible sacrifice.
Before I could even thank him, a deafening alarm began to blare from the operating room down the hall.
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A panicked nurse burst through the double doors, her scrubs covered in fresh blood.
She screamed that the babies had been delivered safely, but someone had just stolen the medical cooler containing the life-saving cord blood.
