Smith's son, Elijah, who turned 5 Dec. 6, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia -- a cancer of the white blood cells -- a few days before the Steelers played the New York Giants Oct. 26. The disease has an 80 percent survival rate, the doctors told Smith and his wife, Jaimie. They are encouraged about Elijah because he has responded well to once-a-week chemotherapy treatments and his follow-up blood tests have been good.
You wouldn't know he had leukemia if you talked to him," said Smith. "He's a cheerful, happy boy. If he wasn't bald you probably wouldn't even know he's in chemo."
Elijah had to have blood transfusions four, five, maybe even six times," Smith said. "There's such a shortage of blood. I don't think people understand the difference they can make in people's lives by donating. I didn't understand. But you're talking about saving someone's life."
Smith is asking people to donate blood as well as text LLS and donate $5 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
