Help save baby Harri
Family’s plea for bone marrow donors:
A “HAPPY” and “bouncing” sixmonth-old boy has been diagnosed with leukaemia – after his mother took him to the GP because of a swelling near his eye.
The family of Harri Stickler have now launched an appeal for people to join the bone marrow register so their baby can have the best chance of fighting the disease.
On December 5, Bethan Morgan, from Aberdare, took her son to the GP after she noticed swelling near his eye.
Within 24 hours the close-knit family were rushed to Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil and later the University of Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where Harri was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
Harri’s great-aunt Clare Werrett said the family are still coming to terms with the devastating news.
Clare, 47, said: “Harri had some sort of lump or swelling by his eye. When Bethan took him to the surgery in Aberdare he wasn’t himself that day but he hadn’t been unwell.
“Her instinct told her something wasn’t quite right and he was diagnosed within hours of seeing the doctor. We couldn’t ask for better treatment of him, the doctors are absolute angels.”
Harri has now begun a threemonth cycle of chemotherapy to tackle the cancer, which affects the white blood cells.
If the treatment is successful, Harri will then need a bone marrow transplant to allow him to fight the disease.
Clare, a headteacher in Aberdare, said: “He’s got quite a battle on his hands.
“Hopefully Harri will receive three months [of treatment], at which time they will have to do a bone marrow transplant – so that’s why we are determined to raise awareness and ask people to join the register.
“Unfortunately chemotherapy won’t be enough so he needs that transplant.”
Before Christmas, Harri and his parents were staying in the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff, while Harri’s six-year-old brother Logan stayed with close family.
To help them through such a difficult time, the family are receiving help from Welsh children’s cancer charity Latch.
Clare added: “It’s still quite raw. Everyone is still coming to terms with the diagnosis and what it will mean.
“It’s going to be a long journey and Harri has a long fight so the family need a lot of support and love.”
The Aberdare family now hope that by campaigning for people to join the bone marrow register, they can help others in the same situation.
Clare said: “The family want to be able to do something to raise awareness of Harri and others like him who are in need of bone marrow.
“The more people there are on the register, the greater chance there is for Harri and others.”
For more information on Harry’s campaign visit www.facebook.com/saveharristickler