Norfolk mum issues urgent stem cell donor plea for baby battling leukaemia
Anthony Nolan charity calls for young donors to support children like Reuben
The mother of baby Reuben, who is battling acute myeloid leukaemia at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, is urgently seeking stem cell donors as her son fights for his life.
Diagnosed at just 10 months old, Reuben's cancer symptoms were initially thought to be due to teething and tonsillitis, but following blood tests, the life changing diagnosis was confirmed.
Mary, Reuben's mother and a paramedic from Norfolk, expressed her shock and heartbreak at the diagnosis, saying, "We never thought it would be anything like leukaemia, it blindsided us."
The family is currently separated due to the hospital stay, with Reuben's sisters, eight year old Lyra and four year old Cleo, living with their grandparents and undergoing testing to see if they could be donor matches.
Facing the urgent need for a stem cell transplant to prevent the cancer from returning post-chemotherapy, the family is appealing for more young individuals aged 16-30 to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register.
Mary shared her fears about finding a suitable donor: “I am so scared that he might not find a match easily or quickly enough. We wish we could be stem cell donors for him ourselves."
The family is collaborating with the Anthony Nolan charity to raise awareness and encourage potential donors to support families in similar situations.
Charlotte Cunliffe, director of register development at Anthony Nolan, highlighted the prevalence of blood cancer among young patients in the UK. She urged eligible individuals to join the register, saying, "You could be the match that someone like baby Reuben needs."