ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A Winter Haven family is navigating an emotional and life-changing medical journey, as two young brothers fight the same rare condition that can lead to leukemia.
Reed and Nolan Revels, 13 and 10 respectively, have both undergone bone marrow transplants after doctors discovered a rare genetic mutation that put them at risk.
The backstory:
Reed’s diagnosis came first in November 2024, when routine blood work revealed he had acute myeloid leukemia, also known as AML. It’s the same condition the boy’s father survived as a teenager.
“I think you’re just at a standstill, you’re in denial, like this can’t be happening,” Megan Revels, Reed and Nolan’s mother, said during a trip Monday to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Pete for her sons’ latest appointments.
Reed underwent chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant. One year later, he is cancer-free, though still adjusting to life after treatment.
“I feel like I’m back to normal, but still not normal,” Reed said.
Dig deeper:
Because of Reed’s diagnosis, doctors decided to also test Nolan. He was found to have the same rare gene mutation, meaning it was likely he would eventually develop leukemia.
“It was evident that…it wasn’t if, it was when he was going to develop leukemia,” Megan said.
Last November, Nolan received a preventative bone marrow transplant at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, becoming the first patient there to undergo the procedure before developing cancer.
“Nolan did not develop cancer or AML, but he was at risk,” Dr. Natalie Booth, a pediatric bone marrow transplant physician, said.
Experts say hereditary cases of AML are rare, but family history can be a warning sign.
What they’re saying:
Despite their challenges, both boys have shown remarkable resilience and perspective.
“God chooses your way of life. Some people get a different path, some people get this path,” Nolan said.
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
The journey has taken a toll on the entire family, emotionally and financially.
“I think it’s just emotional in every way. You have the physical impact, the mental impact, the emotional impact, and then things that we don’t really like to talk about is the financial impact,” Megan said. “I had to close my business to be able to take care of my kids and I think that that is what we do for our kids, but it has affected us in literally every way possible.”
Still, Megan remains grateful to the bone marrow donors who made her sons’ treatments possible.
“Without donors, we would be looking at a very, very different outcome,” Megan said.
What’s next:
Reed is now cancer-free, and Nolan continues to recover, though both are still adjusting to a new normal.
“Like being a normal kid,” Nolan said when asked what he misses most.
The family is now encouraging others to register as bone marrow donors, hoping their story can help save lives.
Meanwhile, an online fundraiser has been set up by friends and family to help support the Revels as they continue their journey.
The Source: Information in this story came from interviews with the Revels family and a pediatric bone marrow transplant physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.