Dean Sheikh, London For most of his life, Dean has been in and out of hospitals.
It took years to identify his fundamental condition which affects only a few dozen people in the whole world – and he has another rare syndrome on top of that.
He was given 12 years to live.
His body does not produce enough bone marrow and his hair and skin have to look of a very old person. He’s not able to talk properly, or walk. He uses a wheel chair. And his development is severely curtailed – with slowed-down growth and an underdeveloped brain.
“They knew he needed a bone marrow transplant – but it wasn’t recommended because of high mortality. But his condition got worse, with Dean spending more time in hospital. In fact he’s seen by specialists at six different hospitals.”
The Anthony Nolan Trust searched the worldwide database. But no match was found.
“A bone marrow transplant would cure the lack of platelets in Dean’s blood, and he would not be so vulnerable to illnesses. It would give him a better quality of life.”
Part of the problem is that Asian donors are not coming forward in sufficient numbers.
His mother’s appeal is for all people in Dean’s position.
She said: “Giving bone marrow is not something you’d think about - unless something happened to someone you knew. But it’s not a painful procedure.
“And more people need to know about it – and what it means, and what it can do.
“I’m campaigning on behalf of a lot of people who could benefit from such a wonderful gift.”
