A Central Texas family is waiting through another hard stretch after a 5-year-old boy donated bone marrow to help save his toddler brother, who is fighting a rare form of leukemia.

Shanika Williams, a Belton High School graduate and mother of four, has spent the past several months splitting her time between her children in Belton and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston.

Her youngest son, Jahseh, was diagnosed with leukemia in March after months of repeated illnesses that first seemed like common childhood infections.

“It was extremely difficult for our family,” Williams explained.

Williams said the problems started after Jahseh began daycare around October or November 2025. He repeatedly got sick with RSV, the flu, ear infections, hand-foot-and-mouth disease and pneumonia.

By January and February, Williams said, his illnesses had become more severe. Jahseh developed prolonged high fevers, an enlarged abdomen and severe nosebleeds that included blood clots.

After repeated doctor’s visits, a physician sent Jahseh to the emergency room for testing. Williams said bloodwork showed an extremely low red blood cell count, low platelets and a high white blood cell count. An ultrasound also showed his liver and spleen were enlarged.

Jahseh spent about two and a half weeks in the hospital before an oncologist diagnosed him with leukemia.

“That was the worst thing that a parent wants to hear,” Williams said. “How did he go from being sick in daycare … to having cancer?”

Williams said doctors later diagnosed Jahseh with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, or JMML. He was referred to specialists at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston in April and began chemotherapy soon after.

Since then, Williams said, he has gone through four rounds of chemotherapy.

Doctors decided a bone marrow transplant would give Jahseh another chance, and the donor was his 5-year-old brother, Juelz.

Williams said she, Jahseh’s father and his brothers were all tested as potential donors before doctors selected Juelz.

At first, Williams said, Juelz did not fully understand what being a donor meant. After his parents told him he could help his younger brother live a longer, healthier life, he became excited.

Every week, Williams said, Juelz asked, “When is my doctor’s appointment to save my brother’s life?”

The transplant took place Tuesday, Aug. 18. Williams said doctors collected stem cells from Juelz’ bone marrow through his hips. The cells were then prepared and given to Jahseh through the central line in his chest in a transfusion that lasted about two hours.

“Everything went great,” Williams said.

She said Juelz was frightened when the day arrived, but followed through.

“He was super nervous, he was scared, but he was ready, and he did awesome,” Williams said.

For Williams, watching one child go through a procedure to help another was difficult.

“I was nervous,” Williams said. “I was just like, taking from one child to give to the next … what are the risks? I was nervous. I’m not gonna lie, I was very nervous.”

Now the family is waiting for engraftment, the process in which the transplanted cells begin producing new blood cells. Williams said doctors told her it could take up to three weeks to know if the transplant worked.

Before the transplant, Jahseh went through another aggressive six-day round of chemotherapy. Williams said doctors warned that it could cause weakness, mouth sores, skin discoloration and hair loss.

Because Jahseh’s immune system is weakened, his toys must be cleaned daily and he is limited to a smaller hospital unit. Visits from children are restricted to certain hours on weekends to reduce his exposure to germs.

Williams said doctors estimate Jahseh could stay in the hospital for six to seven weeks if his recovery goes as planned. After discharge, the family expects to remain near Houston for months because he will need frequent follow-up appointments.

Williams said they may need to stay in the area until around January, starting with as many as four appointments each week before the number decreases.

She said she had to leave her job to care for Jahseh in Houston while her other three sons remain mostly in Belton. Their father and Williams’ parents are handling school, sports and day-to-day care.

“I had to let go of my job. I had to leave behind my other kids to focus on one and trying to be in two places at one time,” Williams said. “It’s a lot.”

She said she still tries to make the roughly three-hour drive home when she can. Recently, she returned to Belton long enough to watch her other children start their first day of school before going back to Houston.

“I just have to kind of figure it out,” Williams said. “I bounce back and forth. It’s hard.”

Williams’ aunt has created a GoFundMe to help with expenses while Williams stays near the hospital and remains away from work.

“If they are not able to donate, there is no worry,” she said. “Just send blessings and prayers, of course, and just continue to watch our journey.”

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