A family in Pontypridd is appealing for bone marrow donors after their two-year-old son, Elijah, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Elijah had been experiencing constant illness for almost 18 months, and doctors were unable to explain his condition until recently. His mother, Chloe Jones, a nurse, noticed bruises along his spine and began to suspect that low levels of blood platelets were affecting his health. Elijah now requires a bone marrow transplant, and his family is urging people to sign up to the stem cell register to increase his chances of finding a donor match. The appeal has received support from blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan and several celebrities and sports stars.
Despite his health troubles, Elijah remains an energetic and lively child. His family has tried to keep his life as normal as possible, but they have had to take precautions such as keeping him out of childcare and avoiding places where he could be exposed to infections. Chloe described Elijah as a “little soldier” who continued to run around and interact with other children, even during his hospital stays. The family is hopeful that a bone marrow match for Elijah will be found soon and that it will be life-changing for him.
Chloe emphasized the importance of adding names to the stem cell register, stating that it is a simple and potentially life-saving act. She encouraged those who already donate blood or platelets to tick the box to be added to the register, and for those who do not donate, a simple mouth swab is all it takes. With more people on the register, more lives can be saved by finding suitable donors for those in need.
