The family of a 5-month-old baby with Wiskott – Aldrich Syndrome, the same immune system disorder Anthony Nolan was diagnosed with, are calling for more people to sign up as potential stem cell donors with blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan.
Daniel McAvoy, from Cambridgeshire, was diagnosed with Wiskott- Aldrich Syndrome after he became ill at three weeks old. His family have now been told that he will need a stem cell transplant if he is to be cured.
Daniel’s mum, Georgie, said: ‘With the transplant, it’s nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel but the tunnel scares us. It’s a long road. He’ll have to go through a lot of chemotherapy and we’ll have to wait to find out if there’s someone out there who can help him.
‘We want to remind people that if you sign up to the register, you could save someone like Daniel, a 5 month old baby. He’s completely innocent. All he’s done is be born, he’s done nothing wrong and he has to go through this. It will take me forever to work out ‘why him?’
They also carry out ground-breaking research to save more lives and provide information and support to patients after a stem cell transplant, through its clinical nurse specialists and psychologists, who help guide patients through their recovery.
It costs £40 to recruit each potential donor to the register, so Anthony Nolan relies on financial support.
Rebecca Pritchard, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan said: ‘We are doing everything we can to support Daniel’s family and their search for a donor, during this difficult time.
‘Every single person who signs up to the register has the potential to give hope to someone like Daniel, who is in desperate need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant. We’re particularly calling on young men aged 16–30 to consider joining the Anthony Nolan register as they provide more than 50% of all stem cell donations but make up just 18% of our register. Together, we can work towards a future where nobody is waiting for their match.’
To find about more about joining the Anthony Nolan register, or to find out more about the different ways you can support, please visit www.anthonynolan.org/daniel