A bone marrow match has been found in the United States for a six-year-old south Wales boy with a rare disease affecting his immune system.
After a worldwide search for a donor, Rhys Harris, from Newbridge, in Caerphilly county, will undergo treatment in Newcastle in September.
Even though the match is not perfect, the donor’s bone marrow will be flown from the US, days before the operation. Rhys will then have to live in a special germ-free room for nine months. His parents, Kevin and Dawn Harris, were thrilled when they heard a match had been found. It’s a bit scary but at least he’s going to have a fighting chance to live Rhys Harris’s father, Kevin
“We were told they found a good match for Rhys,” said Mr Harris.
“It’s not a perfect match but it’s good enough for them to go ahead and reserve the donor,” he said. “But we’re very, very apprehensive”.
Rhys is one of only about 40 people in the world with the rare genetic disease, Nemo, which is crippling his immune system.
“Only two children in the world have had the surgery,” Mr Harris said. “One died and the other did live. It’s a bit scary but at least he’s going to have a fighting chance to live.”
Without treatment his parents have been told he may live for only months.
They hope to take Rhys and his four-year-old brother Morgan to Disneyland before his treatment starts.
They intend to move to Newcastle “lock, stock and barrel” during the time Rhys receives his pioneering treatment.
This will involve chemotherapy which destroys his immune system before he is given a bone-marrow transplant.
“Then the grafting takes place which is a precarious stage,” Mr Harris said.
A bone marrow recruitment clinic was set up at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea on Thursday to try to find a match for Rhys.
The organisers were hoping to break the world record for the most people registering in 24 hours.
More than 250 people were needed to register as donors to break the world record.
Mr Harris said the search was still ongoing for a perfect match for Rhys and was calling on people to register as donors.