Mum’s plea for bone marrow donor

Karen McErlean, from Armoy, said her son Conor was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was 19 months old and was given the all-clear in January 2020, but the cancer came back last month and now the family are desperate to find a bone marrow donor.

“Ultimately that is the only way they can put him back into remission. They’ve treated him the first time round and he’s relapsed,” said Karen.

“The chemotherapy isn’t doing it for him, he needs something more. From what I can gather bone marrow is like giving him a whole fresh way of making his own blood cells. He needs that or it’s more than likely the leukaemia would come back again.”

She said the sooner Conor can get a bone marrow transplant “the better”.

“They can do a certain drug treatment for the next three months, but they are only doing that to tide him over until he gets a match.”

Karen added: “Conor is currently waiting on detailed bone marrow results but the expected plan is that he will go to Bristol for a bone marrow transplant.

“From what I have read this will involve intense chemo and radiotherapy, to basically knock him down to nothing, and a long stay away from home and away from family”

Karen described Conor, a P2 pupil at St Olcan’s in Armoy, as a “cheeky chappy”.

“He’s a wee funny boy, but not at the moment. He’s a lovely wee boy. He’s a loving wee thing.”

She added: “Everyone always says to me, ‘if there is anything i can do just let me know’. It’s is a very lovely, and much appreciated gesture.

“So far, I haven’t really called in any favours. Except from my poor family and close friends.

“What we can’t do is be the donor that Conor needs. He needs the best match possible. We will probably be relying on the generosity and bravery of a complete stranger or it could be you.

“This is just a wee plea to ask everyone to get themselves on a register, and torture all the people you know to do the same.

“It’s a simple cheek swab sent by post. You might not be a match for Conor, but you could be a match for another poor child or adult going through this horrific ordeal. If no local match is found, they will search worldwide registers. So even if you don’t live in this beautiful part of the world, you could still be a lifesaver.”

*You can register as a potential lifesaver online at stem cell registers such as DKMS, NHS British Bone Marrow Registry (ww.nhsbt.nhs.uk) or Anthony Nolan. You only need to join one register, as medics look for a match across all registers. Whichever one you join, you can stay on it until you turn 60.

The register will send you a home kit containing swabs to rub on the inside of your cheeks. The swabs are then sent to a laboratory to determine your tissue type and your details will be placed onto the register of potential donors.