Give baby Ronnie a fighting chance - sign up for the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register (From Redditch Advertiser)

Give baby Ronnie a fighting chance - sign up for the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register

4:30pm Friday 12th October 2012 in News

THE family of a seriously ill baby boy from Redditch have made a heartfelt plea to the community to attend an Anthony Nolan bone marrow recruitment event and possibly help save his, and other’s, lives.

Redditch baby Ronnie Manders, aged 14 months, was diagnosed with JMML, an incredibly rare form of leukaemia, in July. For every million children under four diagnosed with leukaemia, just two or three have JMML.

Doctors told his family that a bone marrow transplant is Ronnie’s only hope of survival, and they are now working urgently with Anthony Nolan to find him a match.

Mum Whitney, 25, said: “Although Ronnie is having chemotherapy, it will not cure him, it will simply buy us a bit more time to find the donor that he needs so much.

“Our struggle to find him that donor anywhere in the world has made us realise that more people need to sign up to the register, not just for our Ronnie but for everyone around the world who needs this gift of life.

“We also want to make pregnant women aware that there are a few hospitals around the UK where they can donate their umbilical cord blood. This cord blood can be used in bone marrow transplants or for research”

Anthony Nolan will hold a special recruitment event this Thursday, October 18, from 3-7pm at Rocklands Social Club in Redditch. They’re urging people to come forward to sign up to the bone marrow register, to see if they’re a match for someone like Ronnie. Anyone aged 16-30 is eligible to join.

Jenner Mackay-James, Anthony Nolan regional recruitment manager, said: “There’s only a 30 per cent chance someone with blood cancer will find a family match; the rest turn to Anthony Nolan.

“There are thousands like Ronnie in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant but we can only find matching donors for half. If anyone wants to join but can’t come along to the event, they can sign up at anthonynolan.org.”

Ronnie’s mum added: “Anthony Nolan needs funds so it can recruit more donors, so if anyone is too old or can't donate for medical reasons, they can donate money through the JustGiving link on our Facebook page or directly through the Anthony Nolan website. There will also be Rally for Ronnie wristbands for sale on the day of the event, with all proceeds going to Anthony Nolan.”

For more details, see anthonynolan.org or facebook.com/rallyforronnie.