The mother of a four-year-old boy from Manchester has made an emotional plea for bone marrow donors to help save her son's life. Dillan was diagnosed with leukaemia during the first coronavirus lockdown in May 2020, and despite initial successful treatment, he has relapsed and now urgently needs a transplant.
His mother Amy, 35, said Dillan's only chance of survival is to find a bone marrow match and undergo the procedure by October. Family members, including his two-year-old sister Aiyla, have been tested but are not a match. Amy described the news of the relapse in August as her 'worst nightmare'.
Amy first noticed something was wrong when Dillan started limping. After initial misdiagnosis as a sprain, he was eventually referred to A&E where blood tests confirmed leukaemia. He began a three-year treatment course with a 93% cure rate and was doing so well that treatment was stopped after two years, allowing the family to plan their first holiday and Dillan's school attendance.
Amy urged the public to take a free ten-minute test, saying: 'The test takes ten minutes and you could save my son's life.' The appeal has been supported by celebrities including actress Michelle Keegan, TV personality Mark Wright, and Manchester City footballer John Stones, who attended a testing event at the Etihad stadium.
'It's the quickest and easiest way to save someone's life, if not Dillan's then someone else in desperate need,' Amy added.
