After months of searching for a bone marrow donor little Gracelyn Green has finally found her match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jane Ward, deputy director of the The South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR), confirmed a donor cord blood unit has been found in the United States for \u201cGracey\u201d, funded through its Patient Assistance Programme (PAP). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe PAP was established by the SABMR in 2018 to assist families who cannot afford donor-related costs financially,\u201d she explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is funded solely by donations from the public, corporates and fundraising efforts, and hence continued entreaties by the SABMR to donate to this worthy cause to give patients a second chance at life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gracey\u2019s aunt, Lizel Solomons, said her family were elated to learn a match had been found. Initially, she said, the transplant had to take place in June, but due to the toddler\u2019s not being well the transplant was pushed back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe had become very ill with anaemia and high heart rates, fever spikes and low counts, so the transplant was pushed back,\u201d she related. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solomons said the family hosted five donor drives to help Gracey find a match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy family is obviously anxious and concerned, as we were very well informed and are aware the upcoming transplant can go either way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, we hope and pray for the best and trust in God for good things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gracey was diagnosed in August 2021 with juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML), a rare cancer of the blood that affects young children, and her only chance of survival is a stem-cell transplant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The family has had to endure tragedy after tragedy; at five months little Gracey lost her mother, uncle and grandparents when their home was gutted by a fire on 4 June last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The little girl\u2019s diagnosis afterwards has made the family even more determined not to lose her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to SABMR, there has been a significant increase in donors of colour on the registry over the last year owing to ongoing donor drives and patient campaigns such as those hosted by Gracey\u2019s family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have an idea of the timeline, but when the transplant is happening depends on Gracey\u2019s well-being and if all the markers tick all the boxes,\u201d Solomons said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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