Laila Anderson Age: Laila Anderson, a teenager and a young cancer survivor is an avid St. Louis Blues fan. She went from a super fan to a superhero who now advocates for bone marrow donations.
Diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), Anderson used to attend the Blues games despite her illness.
In May 2019, her determination to the Blues amid her battle with HLH inspired the team.
Even though they were considered a far-fetched team from the finals, they won the 2019 Stanley Cup. It was no less than an honor to their superfan, Laila.
Later, she even joined Jordan Binnington, Jake Allen, Vince Dunn, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Patrick Maroon, among others, in the victory celebration.
Despite facing the challenges of battling HLH, Laila Anderson has become a beacon of resilience and hope, particularly for young individuals grappling with autoimmune diseases.
Her parents have immense pride in their daughter’s strength and determination and refer to themselves as “Laila’s dad” and “Laila’s mom” on social media.
Currently, a high schooler, Anderson plays ice hockey on the school team as left forward.
Laila Anderson Age & Wikipedia
Where Is St Louis Blues Fan With Cancer Now?
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 22, 2008, Anderson comes from a white American family. As of 2024, Laila’s age is 16.
The Fox 2 Now even featured her 12th birthday in 2020, as she celebrated her birthday with a special parade participating in the #Couch2Cure movement.
As of this writing, she doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, but her story of the battle with a life-threatening immune disease disorder called HLH is abundantly available on online tabloids.
An article on Stlouischildrens.org chronicles her journey from diagnosis to her superfan story & transformation to a noted fan of the St. Louis Blues.
Moreover, the St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s documentary film “Laila: The Next Season” showcases her journey of diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from HLH, a rare disease.
Laila currently resides with her parents, Scott and Heather Lewis Anderson, in their home in St. Louis. She updates about her personal life and advocates for cancer via her Instagram (@lialaanderson08).
She is now a high school student at Westside Christian Academy (class of 2026). In August 2022, the St. Louis Blues cancer survivor fan posted in her uniform with the caption, “First day as a freshman in HIGH SCHOOL!”
Also, the young Anderson, who got interested in the rink after watching her dad play ice hockey, is a hockey player herself.
From Laila Anderson’s HLH Diagnosis To Recovery: Got Recognition As A SuperFan
In 2018, when Laila was in her fifth grade, she started having episodes of headaches and vomiting. One day, she collapsed in her car on the way to school.
After many tests with no results, her parents took her to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. After a few months of MRIs with no diagnosis, the doctors finally found an answer through genetic testing in September 2018.
The test results showed that Laila was suffering from HLH, a rare, life-threatening autoimmune disease.
So, in October of that year, she was in 10 weeks of chemotherapy. It was to prepare her body for a bone marrow transplant (BMT).
In May 2019, when one of Anderson’s neighbors took her to a game of St. Louis Blues, her story of the battle with HLH spread quickly.
Her dedication & love for the team made her a superfan. She got to meet with Colton Parayko, Alex Steen, & other teammates and became friends with them.
Laila’s story inspired the NHL team Blues & boosted their play from a struggling playoff to win the 2019 Stanley Cup. At the victory celebration, she took the ice with the Blues as a de facto team member.
Moreover, on October 1, 2019, she received a championship ring from the Blues as a token of appreciation for a superfan.
Laila Anderson Age | Bone Marrow Transplant
On January 24, 2019, Laila underwent a bone marrow transplant, which she considers her “new birthday.”
Nearly a year after the transplant, in December 2019, she met her bone marrow donor, Kenton Felmlee. The two even went to attend one of the Blues’ games together. The Anderson family had met the donor, Felmlee, through the Be The Match event.
