Transplant joy or brave Chloe
Family are overjoyed as date is set for girl battling rare blood disorder to undergo life-saving stem cell surgery
A date has finally been set for a courageous little girl battling a rare blood disorder to undergo a life-saving stem cell transplant.
Chloe Gray, 10, was born with Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA) – a condition which means her body doesn’t produce red blood cells.
The Sunderland youngster has to receive regular blood transfusions to stay alive and has been in urgent need of a blood stem cell donation.
An incredible 9/10 match was found in August 2019 following a two-year campaign called ‘A Hero For Chloe’ which aimed to encourage people to sign up to the DKMS register.
Chloe was due to have the transplant at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in April 2020, but when the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, it was postponed indefinitely.
But now Chloe's delighted parents, Francesca and Craig Bowser have finally been given the news they were praying for – that Chloe’s transplant will go ahead this
year, taking place over the course of two days on June 1 and June 2 at the RVI.
Mum Francesca, 30, said: "We thought the transplant would be postponed, we were expecting it so it wasn’t a shock but it wasn’t the greatest news.
"We are feeling a mix of nerves and excitement about the transplant because we just want it to happen but it is quite a rough thing to go through.”
The procedure will see Chloe admitted into hospital on May 21 where she will undergo three different types of chemotherapy before she is given the stem cells that will build her immune system back up.
Chloe will spend up to 12 weeks in hospital with her parents by her side before being allowed home where she will remain in isolation until her immune system is developed.
During her time in hospital Chloe will be on medication to stop her body rejecting the stem cells.
In anticipation of her returning home, dad Craig, 37, has been fund-raising via Chloe’s Facebook page to cover the cost of work to improve the family’s garden where Chloe will spend most of her time in isolation.
To donate visit: https:// www.facebook.com/groups /3170232419747148/?ref=sh are