By Ahmed Abdelsalam
The parents of a 10-month-old baby boy from North Devon have issued an urgent appeal for a stem cell donor to save their son, who has been diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening blood disorder.
Diagnosis and Condition
Ellis Feldon was diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS) after months of hospital appointments. The genetic condition, caused by flaws on the X chromosome, almost exclusively affects boys and occurs in roughly three in every million male births worldwide. It impairs the immune system, leading to severe eczema, easy bruising, bloody diarrhoea, and prolonged bleeding from minor injuries.
Family's Search for Donor
Ellis, who lives in Chulmleigh with his parents Matt and Caitlin Feldon, requires a stem cell transplant. However, no suitable matches exist on the international register. The family were informed of only two potential donors worldwide; one cannot donate for over a year, and the other is only an 85% match. Doctors have warned against delaying the procedure, but an imperfect match carries risks of rejection and further complications.
Charity Partnership and Registration Drive
The family have partnered with blood cancer charity DKMS to encourage people aged 16 to 55 to join the stem cell register. Registration involves a health questionnaire and a simple cheek swab using a free kit ordered online. Mr Feldon said the process is straightforward and urged potential donors to sign up, noting that a perfect match for Ellis could be among those not yet registered.
Parents' Hope and Anxiety
Despite the uncertainty, the Feldons are trying to celebrate Ellis's developmental milestones, such as crawling, teething, and taking his first steps. Mr Feldon acknowledged the underlying sadness, saying they want to enjoy these moments without constant worry. A DKMS spokesperson emphasized that registering takes only a few minutes but could give patients like Ellis a future they might otherwise not have.
