Audrey Nethery

Audrey Nethery was born on October 20, 2008, in Kentucky, US. Her parents, Scott and Julie, are her support system.

Despite a heavy schedule that includes blood transfusion sessions, ‘Zumba,’ events, and awareness programs, Audrey still manages to have time for her hobbies. She loves to indulge in music. She loves collecting dolls and stuffed toys. She also loves to play with her kitten, 'Harper,’ and her Labrador, ‘Butters.’

Within a few months of Audrey’s birth, her parents were informed of her medical condition. They were devastated to know that Audrey had been diagnosed with a rare bone-marrow disorder known as ‘Diamond–Blackfan anemia.’ The disorder does not let the affected person’s body form enough red blood cells and thus affects the supply of oxygen in the body. The news of Audrey’s condition, however, was not a surprise for her parents.

Audrey was born premature and with multiple holes in her heart. Her blood-cell count was extremely low. At that point, doctors did not suspect anything serious and prescribed blood transfusion. Unfortunately, Audrey’s body did not respond positively to the transfusion. There was no improvement in her blood-cell count, and two months later, the life-threatening disorder was confirmed. Following the final diagnosis, Audrey was prescribed regular blood transfusions for the rest of her life.

Audrey’s parents saw a ray of hope when doctors suggested the intake of a special kind of steroid known as ‘Prednisolone.’ This particular chemical acts as a catalyst to promote the growth of blood cells. Audrey’s body reacted positively to the steroid, but unfortunately, the cell-production rate was lower than normal. A heavy dosage of the steroid has adverse effects on the body that can further worsen the case. Hence, doctors prescribed lifelong blood transfusions along with the consumption of this steroid. To date, Audrey has undergone numerous blood transfusions and multiple surgeries such as 'Broviak' line placements, bone marrow aspiration, and a heart “cath” to fix the holes in her heart. The steroid has curbed Audrey’s growth, and she still looks like a toddler.

Audrey has not let the medical condition dominate her. To her, the disease has just affected her bone marrow and not her endurance. She was still a small child when her parents discovered her inclination toward dance. They took her to a ‘Zumba’ class at a local gym in Louisville, Kentucky. That was the beginning of a new life for Audrey. Audrey’s parents enjoyed watching their daughter dance with a positive attitude toward life. Audrey’s charm melted everyone’s heart at her ‘Zumba’ class. After her mother posted one of Audrey's dance videos on 'Facebook,' the comment section of the video was deluged with compliments from across the world. The whole ‘Zumba’ community was enthralled by Audrey’s talent and wanted her to participate in their upcoming event. She performed at a 'Zumba' convention, and the world got a 'Zumba' star. For the first time, Audrey felt like a celebrity. After the event, the crowd approached her to get her pictures and autograph. Soon, the world witnessed the little wonder’s singing talent. Audrey has sung numerous medleys of classic lullabies, and her “karaoke” performances are highly entertaining.

Now famous as a social-media star, Audrey has earned nearly 1.5 million followers on her ‘Facebook’ page, ‘Audrey’s DBA Photo Booth.’ Her 'YouTube' channel, too, has crossed millions of views and has amassed over 540 thousand subscribers. Audrey’s love for posing in front of the camera is evident on her 'Instagram' profile, which has earned more than 300 thousand followers.

A die-hard Selena Gomez fan, Audrey’s brief performance with her at an event went viral over the internet. Just before Selena’s Louisville concert, Selena and Audrey danced to Selena’s track ‘Love You Like a Love Song.’ The celebrity later posted the video on her ‘Instagram’ profile.

In an attempt to raise awareness for this rare disease, Audrey and her parents have created a ‘Facebook’ page. Their main aim behind creating the page was to let people know more about 'Diamond–-Blackfan anemia' and its possible treatments. They also wished to raise funds to assist research organizations toward finding an effective cure for the disorder.

With the huge count of views and followers on her ‘Facebook’ page, Audrey successfully raised $10,000 and donated the sum to the 'Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation.'

Audrey has regularly appeared on the 'Rachael Ray Show,' which is one of her ways to spread awareness about the disorder.