7-Year-Old Receives Birthday Wish: Lifesaving Care

At Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware, 5 West is a special wing for hematology and oncology patients, as well as those who will receive transplant and cellular therapies.

There, you’ll find Omar Abdullah, age 7, in his private room playing games on a Nintendo Switch. He surrounds himself with stuffies and other items related to his favorite “Minions.” A row of matchbox cars covers the windowsill. A large window offers a lush view of Nemours Estate, a historic country estate and mansion.

Omar, a fun-loving child who often wears a newsboy cap, suffers from the most common type of leukemia, called Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), which affects the white blood cells. Common symptoms include fatigue, fever and a tendency to bruise or bleed easily.

Every year, 18,000 people are diagnosed with a condition that could be cured or treated with a blood stem cell transplant. Since 70% of these patients don’t have a fully matched donor in their family, they depend on a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant to save their life.

Omar’s is the first stem cell bone marrow transplant connected with the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program, which partnered last year with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), formerly Be the Match®, to assist patients battling blood cancers.

Brother Bill Soloway, Program Director, has been on this journey with Omar and his dad, also named Omar, from the very beginning. Omar Sr. is a member of Mitchell Lodge No. 81, Philadelphia. He was introduced to Bill through a fellow lodge member when they prepared meals at Gift of Life Howie’s House for transplant patients and their families.

“If it wasn’t for Brother Bill, my head would be spinning,” Omar said. “He has been great with me. He is really dedicated and on top of everything. He has been able to distract Omar with games and keep him busy. Now, Omar has a new best friend.”

Omar received a stem cell transplant on July 21, 2025, following nine rounds of preemptive radiation and chemotherapy (before and after) to destroy the bone marrow. Bill has been in constant communication with Omar Sr. through text messages and daily phone calls. Since Omar Sr. doesn’t have a car, Bill often drove them to doctor’s visits. He helps Omar navigate the transplant process by asking the right questions – which he has learned through experience – and explaining everything.

“My presence there [at the hospital] is valuable in many different ways,” Bill said. “Our program is known and respected in the transplant community.”

Omar Sr. and his son are sequestered at the hospital 24/7 because Omar has a compromised immune system. He is hooked up to monitors that provide nutrition and pain medication intravenously. A port in his chest provides access to transfer chemotherapy.

“Omar is one brave, strong, happy-go-lucky kid,” Bill said. “I was with him during pre-admission testing when they [nurses] had to take blood. He was so calm, while other kids were very upset.”

Since Omar Sr.’s wife takes care of a newborn baby in addition to their two other children, Bill often stops at their house in Philadelphia to pick up meals and other items to bring back to the hospital. He also plays games with Omar, who fondly refers to him as “Uncle Bill,” and tries to keep his spirits up.

“Since Omar [Sr.] can’t work right now, we’re helping him with bills and other expenses through the lodge Almoner’s Fund and Masonic Outreach Program,” Bill said.

Omar turned 7 years old on July 18, three days before his transplant and 10 days after his admission to the hospital. Bill threw him a birthday party in a hospital playroom, complete with cake and gifts purchased by donations from Mitchell Lodge, as well as William Elkins Lodge No. 271, Philadelphia. Omar told Bill it was his “best birthday ever.”

“I picked up his mother and all his siblings, brought them to the hospital and arranged for them to stay at the Ronald McDonald House through the weekend,” Bill said. “This was the one and only time that his mom had seen Omar since he was admitted on July 8. It was a great relief for her to finally see him.”

Unfortunately, this is not Omar’s first stem cell treatment.

His first was in 2019 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Omar was only 1-year-old and his brother, Ali, age 2, was his bone marrow donor. The treatment was successful until the end of November 2024, when Omar came down with a fever and some bruising. Omar Sr. took him to the emergency room, and that’s when they found out the cancer had returned.

While Omar Sr. had been happy with the care at Sloan Kettering, this time, it was no longer covered by his insurance. Omar was evaluated at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, but the family ultimately chose Nemours because the hospital was better equipped to treat his specific type of leukemia, Bill said.

“This time, the stem cell donor was an ‘off match,’ which means it’s slightly off a perfect match, but it’s enough for the white and red blood cells that are produced to attack any remaining leukemia cells in his body,” Bill said. “Things seem to be trending positively. We are watching his white and red blood counts.”

Omar Sr. joined the fraternity in November 2024, and already, his lodge brothers have been very supportive.

Omar was motivated to join because the most influential people in his life are Freemasons – not only from the United States, but from other countries, as well. While touring the Masonic Temple in Philadelphia, he visited the Gift Shop and asked how he could become a Mason. The rest is history.

“It’s a real family,” Omar said.

He is especially grateful for the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program.

“It has been a great experience,” he said. “It was meant to be. If anyone has an issue, my advice is to reach out, and you will be surprised by the help you receive. I also encourage brothers to participate in the district blood drives. The Masonic Blood + Organ Donor program has been amazing.”

For more information on the Masonic Blood + Organ Donor Program, visit MasonicBloodandOrganDonors.org.

UPDATE: Since this article was originally written, Omar has been discharged from the hospital and got to ring the Triumph Bell. Back at home with his family, he continues to be monitored through outpatient visits.