Meet Tesla
When 7-year-old Tesla Thompson began feeling constantly tired, running high fevers, and experiencing stomach pain, doctors did not know why. After extensive testing, she was diagnosed with a rare cancer, Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma, in December 2021 at Valley Children’s Hospital.
Chemotherapy and multiple blood and platelet transfusions were essential to her treatment. Tesla’s mother, Kim, recalls, “Blood donations saved my daughter’s life,” adding, “You can just see the energy coming back in her.”
Tesla remembers feeling scared during her hospital visits, but the care and encouragement from the doctors and staff helped her feel at ease and often brought smiles during even the toughest days.
Because of lifesaving blood donations in the Central Valley, Tesla was given a second chance at life. Today, at 11 years old and in the 5th grade, she is thriving. She excels both academically and in athletics and loves being active and participating in sports.
She also has a big heart. Tesla enjoys giving back through charity work, is interested in social justice and equal rights, and loves expressing herself creatively through dancing, singing, pottery, and other artistic pursuits.
Her story is a powerful reminder that every blood and platelet donation helps children like Tesla heal, regain strength, and flourish.
