May 16, 2012 at 2:15 PM EST
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y.- The ever-smiling Kira Palermo has always been one of three.
The 26-month old is one of a set of triplets that also includes sisters Annaliese and Sarah, but she is also part of a much more devastating trio. Kira is one of likely three people in the world with...more a rare disorder known as Medich Giant Platelet Disorder. In layman's terms, it means Kira has had trouble making blood platelets.
WEB EXTRA: Click here to see a photo gallery of Kira's homecoming.
As it turns out: It's the former that saved her from the latter.
"Sarah and Annaliese both saved Kira's life," said the girls' mother, Kari Palermo. "They were both perfect matches, we had about a 25 percent chance, and we hit the jackpot."
Kira had been in and out of the hospital since she was born, as doctors tried to diagnose her. She suffered a lung bleed at four months old and nearly died, and later she suffered a serious brain bleed. Her doctors












