Meet Sunley

Sunley is a funny, sassy and sweet little girl. The youngest of five siblings, she loves to pick flowers, play with her pet chickens and go to the beach. She gives kisses to everyone and everything, even bugs, rocks and flowers. Despite her sunny disposition, her mother, Amber Vincent, was worried. Fair skin ran in the family, but 2-year-old Sunley was particularly pale. Even her palms, the bottoms of her feet and her inner eyelids were practically white. Her Nationwide Children’s pediatrician agreed that her color was concerning and ordered a blood test.

On Sunday, March 29, 2026, Amber brought Sunley to the lab to get her blood drawn, then headed towards the store. On the way, Sunley’s pediatrician called Amber from his personal cell phone. Sunley’s hemoglobin was critically low. They needed to go to the emergency room right away. The store had to wait.

Amber was grateful she had trusted her instincts. Still, she was more worried than ever. Although Sunley received an iron infusion at the emergency department to improve her hemoglobin and help her feel better, the cause of her anemia wasn’t clear.

This wasn’t Amber’s first encounter with chronic illness. Her older son, Colby, was diagnosed with a heart murmur shortly after birth. His doctors warned Amber that he could experience sudden cardiac arrest, but there was no way to know if or when that might happen. Then, at 6 years old, he collapsed at school. His teachers sprang into action, immediately giving him CPR and using an Automated External Defibrillator device to restart his heart. After a stay at Nationwide Children’s Hospital under the care of cardiologist Naomi Kertesz, MD, Colby recovered without brain injury. He’s now a healthy teenager.

Sunley’s situation was different. Her hemoglobin remained low. Amber tried to give Sunley oral iron supplements, but they made her sick to her stomach. Eventually Sunley received another intravenous iron infusion. The Nationwide Children’s staff worked patiently to place an IV in her tiny arm. Then they made sure she got to play, eat a snack, and snuggle with Amber during the infusion. Her hemoglobin quickly rose, and Sunley’s cheeks turned pink again.

As of September 2026, Sunley’s labs have been normal, but her doctors believe her anemia was caused by an autoimmune disorder. She is currently seeing rheumatology at Nationwide Children’s for additional testing, and Amber feels confident that Sunley is receiving the best possible care. “I was shocked by how much time her rheumatologist spent explaining her labs, what she was concerned about, what she wasn’t,” Amber said. “She really put me at ease after several months of being worried sick.”

In the meantime, Amber and Sunley have learned to navigate her care. At Sunley’s most recent blood draw, the lab technician let Amber hold Sunley during the procedure. Sunley didn’t cry. On the way home she told Amber that, because she’d been brave, she deserved a new baby doll. “Deal,” Amber said.

To support more kids like Sunley and their families, give to Light Up the Lawn, Light Up a Life.