Help needed for four-month-old leukaemia fighter
Megan Harrington-Johnson is Breakfast with Martin Bester’s resident attorney and always shares great legal advice with our listeners. Now she needs your help.
However, this morning we speak to Megan Harrington-Johnson’s sister, Amy, about Megan and her partner Bronson’s baby Mackenzie. The four-month-old fighter is also known as “Mighty Mack” and she’s in need of a bone marrow transplant match, which you can test for, with a cheek swab.
Mackenzie (Mack) was formally diagnosed with Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) a week ago.
Megan says: “It genuinely is every parent’s worst nightmare come to life but as scared as we are, we know what a little fighter she is and also know that if anyone can get her through this it is us with the most incredible support system that surrounds us. If you wish to show your support please try to donate blood to all the other children also facing this battle and continue to keep Mack in your thoughts and prayers throughout the long road that lies ahead.”
How you can help:
The South African Bone Marrow Registry has given more details as to what the process is.
The application process:
2. Complete Health Questionnaire
3. If eligible SABMR will make arrangements for cheek swab to be done all free of charge (courier or at one of our depots)
If you are a matched donor, you will undergo a full medical examination to determine your health status and assess whether you are at any risk during the donation process.
Head of Donor Recruitment, Nadia Chalkley, says: “Once medically cleared to proceed, the donor will receive a five-day course of daily injections to increase the number of stem cells in their blood stream. On the fifth day of the injections, the donor will be admitted to a medical facility and be connected to a cell separator machine. The machine takes blood from the donor, removes the cells needed for the transplant, and returns the remaining cells to the donor’s body.“
Chalkley continues: “Sometimes it is necessary for the stem cell collection to be done on the sixth day as well. A Donor Welfare Officer, appointed by the SABMR, will accompany the donor throughout the day of the donation to support them in any way needed.
Help Mighty Mack and the other children in desperate need of a match by registering with the SABMR.
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Image credit: Supplied