Loved ones of Leo Sproson, 16, from Bromsgrove, hope a stem cell event could find him a donor match on Sunday, November 23
Leo Sproson(Image: DKMS)
A kind stranger could save a Midland teenager’s life after a devastating leukaemia diagnosis.
Leo Sproson and his family, from Bromsgrove, are working with blood cancer charity DKMS to search for a stem cell donor who could give him, or others like him with blood cancer, a second chance of a better future.
But only one in three patients will find a match in their family and the 16-year-old’s chances of match with a relative are very low as he has no siblings.
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This means he is relying on finding a match from a stranger on the stem cell donor register, but just seven per cent of the eligible population in the UK are signed up.
Leo’s dad Warren said: “Leo is my whole world. He’s my mini me, my greatest joy, and he deserves a second chance at life.
“Watching him face this fight with such courage breaks my heart, but it also fills me with pride. He deserves so much more than this struggle, he deserves a future.
“If you could be the one to give him that chance you wouldn’t just be saving a life, you’d be giving my boy a chance to grow up, chase his dreams, and live the full life he deserves. Your support means more than words can ever say.”
Days after his 12th birthday, Leo was diagnosed with acute liver disease. He went into liver failure but pulled through. But he developed some issues with his blood, which needed regularly monitored.
For the past two years, Leo has been stable and life was getting back to normal, but recently he started to feel much more tired.
His family initially put it down to the long days on his new electrical engineering college course, but when he started getting unusually large bruises, his mum Jenna decided to bring him in for tests.
“Leo looked very pale, and my mother’s instinct told me he needed a blood test ASAP, something just was not right,” she said.
”I took him to the doctors, and that same night we got a call advising us to get Leo to the hospital right away. He went into Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and immediately needed a blood transfusion.”
Within days, Leo was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a form of blood cancer. His mum Jenna said: “I remember the doctor telling me, and I burst into tears in the hallway.
“My heart was broken, my world fell apart. There is no way to describe the utter heartache. Leo is our only child and our best friend.
“I had to be the one to tell him he had cancer at 16. He took it much better than me and his dad, he was quiet for a while, but he’s determined to beat it, and he had us laughing again within a few hours.”
Leo’s family along with DKMS are encouraging more people to register as potential stem cell donors. Signing up is a simple process, involving just a few health questions, and some cheek swabs.
Once you are on the register, your swabs will be tested to find out if you are a match for a patient. At any one time, there are around 2,000 people in the UK waiting for their match, including Leo.
Most people will never be called to donate, but if you are matched to a patient, nine out of ten times the donation can be completed through a simple outpatient procedure, similar to donating blood platelets. DKMS will support donors through the entire process.
Jenna added: “Our hope is that Leo finds a stem donor as soon as possible so his suffering can end sooner rather than later.
“He’s already finished one round of intense chemo and it was tough for him, and for us as parents to watch. There aren’t enough words to describe how important it is to join the register.
“It isn’t until you need it you realise how important it is to sign up. You have the potential to literally save a life, and there is someone out there will be able to save our only child’s life. He deserves to live a full and fulfilling life, and when he gets better, it will all be thanks to a stranger donating their stem cells.”
Leo’s family are organising an event where people can join the register at St Godwald’s church hall in Bromsgrove between 1pm and 6pm on Sunday, November 23.
The community can complete some quick swabs with DKMS, to find out if they are a match for Leo, or another patient in urgent need of a stem cell transplant.
DKMS spokesperson, Bronagh Hughes, said: “For Leo, the right person joining the register could give him his life back. The process is very simple, it’s so easy to give someone a second chance.
“We’ll be supporting Leo’s family to get people signed up to the register in Bromsgrove, but if you can’t come down on the day, visit the DKMS website and we can send you a swab kit in the post.
You could be the match that Leo, or someone else like him, is waiting for.” To find out more, or order a swab kit, visit dkms.org.uk