The family of a two-year-old boy from Pontypridd is appealing for bone marrow donors after he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Elijah had been in and out of hospital for 18 months, but doctors were unable to identify the cause of his constant illnesses until his mother, Chloe Jones, spotted bruises and blisters on his body whilst giving him a bath. He was subsequently diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome and juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), a rare form of blood cancer that affects young children. Chloe and her partner, Rhys, are now urging members of the public to sign up to the stem cell register to give their son the best chance of finding a donor.
Elijah has never gone more than two weeks without becoming ill, and his condition has caused him to suffer from croup, tonsillitis, pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus, and an ear infection. Because chemotherapy is not effective in treating JMML, Elijah requires a bone marrow transplant. His parents have taken him out of childcare in an attempt to minimize his risk of contracting illnesses.
The family’s appeal has received support from blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan and a number of celebrities and sports stars. Despite his health problems, Chloe describes Elijah as a “little soldier” who loves running up and down hospital corridors and stealing chocolates and snacks from other children. Bone marrow donors can sign up to the register by donating blood or platelets or by providing a mouth swab. A donor match for Elijah could be life-changing, according to his mother
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