Drive for Bone Marrow Donors in South Africa, As Mom Describes Discovering Her Son Has Leukemia.

Durban radio announcer Damon Beard urged South Africans to listen in to his breakfast show on Thursday morning because “you could be the 1 in 100 000 person we’re looking for”.

A KwaZulu-Natal mother Nicole Dry, who only today received “the news we were hoping not to receive ?” – that her son Ashton has a very “aggressive form of Leukemia” – was one of the first to share Damon’s message and urge people to listen to the East Coast Radio personality’s show to find out how to become a bone marrow donor.

Damon said:

People often say they’d like to help me on my Big Favour … but they don’t know what they can do to make a difference in someone’s life.
Tomorrow morning… you could be the 1 in 100 000 person we’re looking for.
We need as many people listening as possible. Please share.
Listen in (Thursday) morning on East Coast Breakfast at 06h40 and 06h50 on East Coast Radio

There has been a surge in applications in response to news that Durban schoolboy Robbie Eddles has relapsed for the third time and urgently needs a lifesaving bone marrow donor, as his bone marrow is now 90% Leukemic. But it is still not enough.

And it is not just Robbie who needs a donor. There are so many young South Africans across the country in urgent need of help.

This evening mom Nicole described the heartbreak of finding out Ashton’s diagnosis today. She said:

After a very long and anxious wait Doc came to see us and gave us the news we were hoping not to receive ? Ashton has AML (classification M5) which means he has a very aggressive form of Leukemia which needs aggressive chemotherapy straight away.

Here’s the kicker… the medication he needs most right now (Cytarabine) is not currently available in South Africa so I am praying that some how someone in our army may be able to pull the right strings or make it available to us.

Ashton, once in remission is also going to need a full bone marrow transplant… they will need to test Cody (his little brother) as well as myself and Kevin. We require a 100% match… should we not be a complete match we will need to find a match even if this requires an international donor.

The doctor is planning to start Ashton with an aggressive chemo treatment asap.

“We are feeling numb and pretty raw with this news but still trusting fully for God to come through for us… Lord I am on my knees begging for a miracle ??????????????” she wrote.

It wasn’t long before Nicole received hundreds of messages and calls from people offering to be tested! They have also found some of the medication needed, but may need to import still due to the quantity her son will need.

“I feel very overwhelmed as I really don’t know the strength of the medication that is needed or anything else right now… please be patient with me as I try find my feet in this foreign world,” she wrote.

BECOME A DONOR TODAY: https://sabmr.co.za/become-a-donor/

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