A group of young students have put together a stem cell clinic in their school, hoping that the humanitarian movement can save the one-year-old boy, who is now in need of bone marrow transplant. Until now, students are still hoping that more people with a good heart will eventually come forward and have them tested to find the perfect match for the ailing baby.
Students at the Emily Carr Secondary School in Woodbridge organized an event, where all of their friends, family and community members (between 17 and 35 years old, of course with optimum health) had their mouth swabbed to find the perfect donor for baby Austin. The little one is currently now in the hospital due to chronic granulomatous disease or also known as Bridges-Good Syndrome.
Austin's family already tested the whole member of the family but was devastated after they found out that no one within them is a perfect match. "It's very heartbreaking. We were really hoping that his brother was a match," the little boy's aunt, Laura Camerlengo, shared to CTV Toronto.
After the school heard about Austin's condition, they organized an event to let the whole community know about his illness as well as the assistance he needs to save his life. The clinic is still open to anyone with a kind heart, especially those who would like to be tested to see if they are a perfect match for the boy.
According to American Academy Allergy Asthma & Immunology, Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) is an "inherited primary immunodeficiency disease." It increases the body's susceptibility to infections.
In addition, people with the said illness often get very sick as their bodies are unable to fight common germs and bacteria. Hence, people with severe infection suffer from skin or bone infections and abscesses -- potentially within the internal organs such as the liver, lungs or even worst, the brain.
Now, Austin's family and the students are still hopeful that they will eventually find the right candidate that is a perfect match to the little boy. Then on, they can start the transplant right away.
