Aiexpress – A young child from Essex, who was diagnosed with aggressive leukemia, has successfully overcome cancer with the help of stem cells obtained from an umbilical cord from the United States. The child’s mother, filled with gratitude, organized a donation drive which led to one of her friends being identified as a suitable match for another individual in need.
Jo Hughes, a 35-year-old former project manager, expresses her eternal gratitude towards the unidentified donor who rescued her son when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in July 2022.
Oti, who will turn three in March, has been cancer-free for eight months. This remarkable outcome was made possible by the infusion of stem cells from an umbilical cord that had been preserved for 12 years before being identified as a compatible match.
In September 2023, Jo organized a donation drive for her friends and family to register with the DKMS global registry. Recently, a friend who signed up through the drive has been identified as a match for someone in need of a stem cell transplant.
In July 2022, Jo became concerned about her son’s well-being when he was just 16 months old and showed a complete reluctance to use his arm.
Jo, a resident of Saffron Walden, resides with her husband Terry, an accountant, and their two sons, Remy (four years old) and Oti (two years old). In a conversation with PA Real Life, she shared, “He was unable to express his pain due to his young age. Although he could communicate with me, he couldn’t provide any explanation. This led us to seek medical attention at the hospital.”
Oti showed no visible signs of injury, such as bruising or swelling. However, blood tests uncovered a shocking diagnosis – Oti had acute myeloid leukemia, a fast-growing cancer that affects the myeloid cells.
“I never saw it coming,” Jo admitted, as the word hadn’t even crossed my mind.
The news of his leukaemia diagnosis hit us like a lightning bolt. Within minutes, he had a cannula inserted and plasma coursing through his veins. The speed at which everything happened left us in a state of shock.
The following morning, he underwent surgery to have his Hickman line inserted, and the chemotherapy treatment commenced the following day.
After achieving remission in December 2022, Jo unfortunately experienced a recurrence of the cancer in July 2023. Jo described the cancer as being “horribly aggressive.”
The disease could only be cured through a stem cell match.
According to Jo, parents are not typically expected to be matches for bone marrow transplants. However, siblings are more likely to be a match. Remy, Jo’s son, was tested but unfortunately, he was not a match. Therefore, they had to join the register and wait for a suitable match to be found.
Oti received a lifesaving stem cell donation from an anonymous umbilical cord donor in the US.
Jo expressed her gratitude, saying, “We will never know the identity of the umbilical cord donor due to the unique workings of the registry. It’s truly a remarkable and magical thing to think that there is a woman out there who unknowingly saved my son’s life.”
Jo described their experience after the transplant as taking each day as it came. Two weeks later, they received the news that the procedure had been a success.
After his transplant, Oti underwent a 48-day period of isolation to give his immune system time to strengthen.
In September 2023, Jo took it upon herself to assist others. She partnered with DKMS to coordinate a registration drive, aiming to inspire more individuals to join the registry.
Jo was amazed when she found out that one of her friends who had attended her donation drive was approved as a match three months later. The charity informed her that there is a slim chance of one in 800 for someone to be called to donate.
One of my other friends had already registered in advance and was also selected to donate stem cells.
Jo expressed her heartfelt connection with the recipient, stating, “Now when we see each other, there’s just this crazy bond which is pure magic.” Since the stem cell registry differs from the umbilical cord one, the recipient will have the opportunity to stay in touch with Jo after two years.
“These people are real-life superheroes, as they save children when parents are unable to. You can see parents on their knees, desperate for help, and these individuals come to their rescue.”
Jo mentioned that the first six months after remission are the most critical period for Oti in terms of relapse risk. However, it is necessary for Oti to wait for two years before receiving the official all-clear.
Oti has been in remission for eight months now, and just recently, he had his Hickman line removed.
According to Jo, her son is doing incredibly well. She mentioned, “He’s honestly thriving. I couldn’t even tell the difference between him and his brother in terms of their health.”
During his treatment, I recall receiving an outpouring of support from friends and family. They offered their assistance and even volunteered to bring toys and food to the hospital. However, all I truly wanted was for them to attend the donation drive, and they did just that.
“It’s truly remarkable, an interconnected network of individuals supporting one another worldwide without revealing their identities.”
