He's here to heal

When nine-year-old Khai arrived in America 10 weeks ago, he had little idea that up to three years of his life might be spent in Mooresville with a family giving their all to see the child return to Afghanistan healthy.

Khai was one of nearly three dozen kids from the war-torn country of Afghanistan to come to the Mooresville area June 23 through the nonprofit Solace for the Children. With a motto of "Building peace on a foundation of health," the organization aims to bring children to the area for various medical treatments that aren't widely available or affordable in their home countries.

And although many Afghan children came to North Carolina this summer with vision problems or hearing difficulties that could easily be aided in the six-week timeframe, several others arrived with more serious ailments requiring extensive care.

Khai, who has Beta Thalassemia Major and iron overload, was among the latter. But his diagnosis was too life-threatening to send him home in early August with the rest of the Afghan children.

Rather, he remains with his American foster family – the Ayris family of Mooresville, whom he met for the first time in June – for at least the next year to help extend his chances of survival.

Up to three years, however, could be needed before sending Khai back to his family in Afghanistan.

"We realized that his returning home would be detrimental to his health," said Heather Ayris, who -- with her husband, Aaron, and two sons -- have welcomed Khai into their family.

Beta Thalassemia Major is a genetic blood disorder that causes the hemoglobin to become unhealthy, requiring frequent blood transfusions, which Khai has received since he was a baby, said Ayris.

"Due to the many transfusions needed to keep him alive, his iron levels are now dangerously high," she said. "If they remain high, it will cause damage to his organs and the risk for cardiac arrest is the greatest concern."

Ayris said Khai is unable to excrete the excess iron and is experiencing metal poisoning within his body as a result.

Three of Khai's siblings have died from the same disorder. A younger sister is also afflicted.

"It's so much larger scale that a traditional anemia," said Ayris, adding that Khai ultimately requires a bone marrow transplant to help save his life. The family should find out by October if the nine-year-old is a candidate for the transplant. If he is, the length of his stay in Mooresville will extend to three years, at the least.

Until then, Khai is undergoing blood transfusions every three weeks – the next is scheduled for Tuesday – and receives nightly chelation therapy to remove the toxic iron from his body, Ayris said.

Despite knowing the extreme expense these treatments and a potential bone marrow transplant would cost – approximately $270,000 in all – Ayris said she and her family were committed from the start to helping the youngster as much as they could when they offered their home, hearts and money toward making him healthy.

And less than 48 hours before Khai was scheduled to return to Afghanistan with the other kids from Solace for the Children, the official word came from the embassy approving his stay in the United States.

"He thought he was going home. We were packing his suitcase and everything because we didn't know," said Ayris, adding that an interpreter had to tell Khai he'd be remaining with the family for another year.

"Khai has become close to our family in such a short time and we could no sooner send him back home to die than we could one of our own biological children," Ayris said in a letter to friends seeking prayers and monetary donations when their journey began in early August.

With at least a $270,000 bill looming for Khai's medical care, the Ayris' reached out to members of the community and other agencies who might offer their assistance.

"Every time we've needed something, a door has been opened to us," she said, noting that the $70,000 for Khai's treatments over the next year have been paid for by the Patient Assistance Program of Novartis, the company that makes one of Khai's medications.

"At this point, our attention is turning to try to get him the bone marrow transplant that he needs to cure him, finding the funding and doctors and hospitals to get that."

At a cost of $200,000, Ayris said her family not only needs to seek donations, but has to hope and pray Khai is both a candidate and a transplant match can be found to save his life.

In the meantime, Khai's life in America resembles that of a typical nine-year-old.

Enrolled in the third grade at Lake Norman Elementary, Khai attends classes with his new "brother," eight-year-old AJ Ayris. The two kids are in the same class and Khai daily works through some English as a Second Language courses as he swiftly picks up the language.

"He understands probably 95 percent of what we say to him now," Heather Ayris said, noting that Khai knew very little English when he first arrived. "He's just a sponge. He's been able to learn so much very quickly."

Like AJ and seven-year-old Cade, Khai has taken up Tae Kwon Do.

"He's watched AJ and Cade train over the past several weeks and we could tell he was 'itching' to join in on the fun," Ayris said in an online update to family and friends through Caring Bridge, which offers "free, personalized Web sites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery."

And as Ayris began registration for Khai, she discovered his membership for an entire year had already been anonymously paid for.

Calling the Afghan youngster "a part of the family," Ayris said her two sons and Khai have become brothers since he arrived, which has made the transition much easier for all of them. But, unfortunately, it will also make his eventual departure extremely difficult.

"We'll have to cross that bridge if and when we get to it. I would think he'd miss us just as much as we'll miss him."

She added, "It will definitely be a bittersweet moment because he has a family that loves him. He's not going back to people that don't care for him."

She said Khai has been able to speak to his father about once a week and the two families have begun exchanging emails with updates on Khai's health and daily life.

"He's such a brave boy that sometimes you forget that he's just a nine-year-old child," Ayris added. "He's surrounded by war (at home)."

And although he will eventually return to Afghanistan, Ayris said his immediate medical needs remain the primary concern.

With a variety of hurdles already overcome, Ayris said she and her family believe "the grace of God" has allowed each small miracle in this process to occur.

"If we just had 200,000 people give $1, that would save his life," she mentioned. "He's a child of God and we truly feel very called that god has called us to help."

Want to help?

To donate, visit www.solaceforthechildren.org and utilize the "add special instructions to the seller" tab to write Khai's name and ensure the donation helps his specific needs.

Also, cash donations or checks – with Khai's name in the memo line – can be mailed to SOLACE for the Children, PO Box 65, Davidson, NC 28036.