A hero in the family. In a very moving video, a family whose youngest child is affected by leukemia shared a rare moment: the moment when an older brother learns that he is completely compatible for a bone marrow donation to his little sister.
Suffering from leukemia, this little girl will be saved by her brother
In a hospital room, around little Josie, diagnosed at just 11 weeks with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the father suddenly makes an announcement. He has the results of the compatibility tests carried out among the siblings for a possible bone marrow donation, which could save Josie.
“We have a perfect match and a 5 out of 10, so who wants to be the perfect donor?” he says.
No longer able to hold it, Caden, the big brother, raises a shy hand. When the father announces that he is indeed the most compatible in the family, there is an explosion of joy. Jumps, tears, screams… her happiness seems more intense than receiving any prize.
“Josie, I’m going to save you”, Caden then marvels, suddenly realizing his heroic role.
Why a bone marrow transplant can save a life
Bone marrow donation can offer a second chance to patients with blood cancers. Around 80% of bone marrow transplants are performed to treat certain forms of cancer, notably leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. But this treatment can also be used to treat other serious blood diseases such as thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, certain aplastic anemias or even hereditary disorders of the immune system.
Bone marrow transplantation, also called stem cell transplantation, involves replacing diseased cells with healthy stem cells capable of making new red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
In certain patients, particularly children with leukemia, treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy destroy diseased cells as well as bone marrow. The transplant then makes it possible to rebuild a healthy blood system.
Siblings, first hope of compatibility
To perform a transplant, the donor and recipient must be very compatible immunologically. According to the Cancer Research Foundation, the chance of finding a matching donor is about 1 in 4 between siblings, compared to 1 in a million with an unrelated person.
Parents generally cannot give their marrow to their children, because they only pass on half of their genetic heritage. This is why, when the disease is diagnosed, doctors first look for a compatible donor among siblings. If no brother or sister is compatible, the search is extended to millions of volunteers registered on national and international donor registers.
How do you become a bone marrow donor?
The essential criterion remains immunological compatibility, determined using HLA antigens, true biological markers specific to each individual.
“Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are the identity card of each person’s immune system. These are biological markers coming to us half from the father and the other half from the mother. By looking for a compatible healthy donor, we ensure that the marrow transplant functions optimally, but we also try to cure cancer-like diseases in order to save the patient’s life.”explained Dr Catherine Faucher, hematologist, in a previous subject.
To register as a voluntary donor, three main conditions must be met:
- Be between 18 and 35 years old at the time of registration (donation is possible up to 60 years old);
- Be in excellent health;
- Agree to take a blood or saliva sample to determine your HLA group.
From this sample, doctors establish the donor’s immunological identity card in order to know if he could one day save a patient.
A long-term solidarity commitment
Registering as a bone marrow donor means becoming what some call a “life watcher”.
Once registered on the national register of voluntary donors, it may take a few months, several years, or even ten years before a compatibility is detected. But when it occurs, this simple commitment can offer a patient a chance of recovery.
In France, the entire organization of donation and transplants is supervised by the Biomedicine Agency. The donation is voluntary, anonymous, free and voluntary: donor and recipient do not know their respective identities.
A video that reminds us that everyone can save a life
Caden’s reaction to the possibility of saving his little sister certainly touched millions of Internet users. But it also reminds us of an essential reality: without a compatible donor, some patients do not have access to the transplant they need. Getting informed, registering on the donor register and talking to those around you about donation can truly change destinies.
Because sometimes, as with Josie, the hero is already in the family. And sometimes he can also be found among strangers ready to extend a helping hand.