"The Challenge" star Ashley Cain knocks at the hearts of his fans to help his daughter, who has a rare disease. A month ago, he revealed to the world that his 13-month-old baby is diagnosed with leukemia.
The 30-year-old dad wrote on his Instagram page that his daughter, who has an aggressive disease, desperately needs a bone marrow transplant. The young age of his child had caused the case to be even rarer.
Tumors in other body parts
Doctors were unsure how well his daughter could cope with the treatment. They noted that they also found tumors in different parts of her body. Cain posted that Azaylia's lungs, stomach, and kidneys also have masses.
Difficult to find a match
Cain explained that his daughter, Azaylia's mixed ethnicity, has made it more difficult to find a suitable donor. His daughter is Caribbean, Indian, and white.
The MTV star wrote on social media that anybody could be his daughter's genetic match. He also noted that his little warrior had done all she could do, but now, she needs the help of anyone no matter what race.
The former pro soccer player asked his fans to register as donors at DKMS and Anthony Nolan, two UK-based organizations. The star who lives in the UK wants to give Azaylia a "fighting chance" in every way he could for his daughter's survival.
You could also help and join the registry even though you are living in the US. Just visit "BeTheMatch.com" to know about how to join for those who are interested in helping donate.
Easy and painless check
Cain explained in a follow-up post that it is fairly easy and painless to be a bone marrow donor. All you have to do is to fill out a form and donate cheek cells using a cotton swab.
In August 2019, his girlfriend, Safiyaa Vorajee, gave birth to their daughter. On October 10, the star revealed the somber news that his newborn is fighting acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
According to the National Cancer Institute, AML is a type of bone marrow cancer wherein the body produces too many abnormal white blood cells. While relatively rare, the rare disease second to the most common pediatric blood cancer.
There are about 500 children in the US between ages zero to 14 who are diagnosed with AML. The number is stated by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Division of Oncology physician-scientist, Dr. Richard Aplenc.
Since learning of his daughter's rare disease, Cain has been posting on social media updates about the condition of his "little warrior." On Monday, he wrote that time is of the essence. He is encouraging people with kind hearts to make sure to swab and send back. He also prayed to soon find a match for his daughter's bone marrow transplant.
