Ottawa's Jonathan Pitre celebrating 'big win' at Minnesota hospital

After suffering a series of setbacks on his road to recovery from a stem cell operation, Ottawa's Jonathan Pitre was given some much-needed good news this week.

The 17-year-old's white blood cell count has increased slightly, meaning he'savoided an engraftment failure following his second transplant last spring to reverse the effects of a rare disease calledepidermolysisbullosa.

The painful disease causes the skin to blister and tear.

• Pitre set to pass another milestone on road to recovery

"We are still waiting on test results to see if he has an infection or a virus in his bone marrow that could contribute to his counts being so low. But today is a big win for team Jonathan we're still engrafted!" Pitre's mom, Tina Boileau, wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

Pitre's story has touched many in the community who are following his road to recovery, including the Ottawa Senators. Players on the team surprised him during a visit to the hospital in Minnesota ahead of his second treatment.

White blood count plummeted

Last weekend, his white blood cell count dropped from 13 to 0.4. The normal range is from 4 to 11.

His mother said the decrease came after he caught pneumonia and two viruses, and the medication needed to treat him had effects similar tochemotherapy. He had previously battled a blood infection as well.

"Because of this, he wasn't responding to the medication that stimulates the bone marrow to produce granulocytes and stem cells and release them into the bloodstream. The doctors became concerned that Jonathan might be heading for engraftment failure, which is the worst case scenario," Boileau wrote.

Let's get you better so we can come home!- Tina Boileau

However, results from a recent bone marrow and spinal tap performed Tuesday, she said, showed his body is still producing new white blood cells.

"So get back on track and move closer to your dreams and goals," Pitre's mom wrote in the post along with a photo of her and her son.

"This is the mantra for all superheroes, and you are mine. Jonny Boy you can do it! Let's get you better so we can come home!"