Two Winter Haven brothers, 13-year-old Reed Revels and 10-year-old Nolan Revels, are staring down a rare inherited mutation that can trigger acute myeloid leukemia, turning their home into a crash course in preventative medicine and long-haul recovery. Reed was diagnosed after routine bloodwork in November 2024, went through chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant and is now cancer-free. Nolan then tested positive for the same mutation and received a preventative bone marrow transplant last November. The family says the journey has been emotionally draining and financially punishing, and they are now using their story to push neighbors to join the national marrow registry.
Hospital performs a rare preemptive transplant
At Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, doctors took the unusual step of operating before cancer ever appeared. Nolan’s bone marrow transplant was performed last November as a preventive measure after genetic testing showed he carried the same leukemia-linked mutation as his big brother. Spectrum Bay News 9 reported that Dr. Natalie Booth, who treated both boys, said the goal was to stop leukemia from developing at all, and that this was the hospital’s first preemptive bone marrow transplant in that specific context. Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital notes specialized cancer and blood-disorders services at its St. Petersburg campus.
Reed's diagnosis and the family's challenges
Reed’s road began in November 2024, when tests confirmed acute myeloid leukemia. He underwent chemotherapy, then a transplant, and relatives say he is now in remission and working his way back to something like normal life. According to FOX 13 Tampa Bay, the boys’ father survived AML as a teenager, a history that pushed doctors to test Nolan once Reed was diagnosed. Their mother, Megan, told reporters she closed her business so she could be at the boys’ bedsides, while friends and local groups tried to fill the gap with surprise gifts and community fundraisers.
Why doctors moved before cancer appeared
Hereditary AML is uncommon, but when a dangerous mutation runs in a family, some clinicians are willing to consider aggressive prevention instead of waiting for symptoms. Dr. Booth told Spectrum Bay News 9 that once Nolan tested positive for the mutation, the medical team decided it made more sense to act before any disease developed, with the aim of preventing leukemia rather than chasing a cure later. Doctors say situations like the Revels’ are still rare, but they underscore how genetic testing can change both the timing and the strategy of care.
How neighbors can help
The Revels are now asking the wider community to step in, whether by joining the national marrow registry or helping the family stay afloat. FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported that friends and relatives set up an online fundraiser to help cover travel, housing and caregiving expenses. People who want to explore becoming donors can find step-by-step instructions at Be The Match.
The brothers lean on each other during hospital stays and long recovery days, trading encouragement and keeping each other company while the adults juggle appointments and follow-ups. By making their ordeal public, the Revels hope to grow the pool of potential donors for families like theirs. For now, their priority is simple: focus on healing, stay on top of ongoing care, and make the long road after transplant feel as normal as possible for two boys from Winter Haven.
