In the stands at TD Garden will be Laila Anderson, the 11-year-old St. Louis girl with a rare, life-threatening disease who has become one of the faces of the team’s playoff run.
Anderson’s mother, Heather, told her Tuesday that the Blues will be bringing her to Beantown.
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Anderson suffers from hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH. As reported by STLToday.com, she met St. Louis defenseman Colton Parayko during a team event on Halloween, and the two kept in touch. Other Blues players became aware of the girl’s health struggles and also befriended her.
Anderson received a bone marrow transplant in Jaunuary; by May her condition had improved enough for her to attend the Western Conference finals. Her story quickly went national. In one of the latest developments, it was announced last week (per STLToday.com) that a special-edition Laila bobblehead had been produced. A portion of the proceeds will go to St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
On Wednesday, Laila will be in the building for the most important game of the season, ready to inspire again.
