A 10-month-old baby suffering from juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia has found a bone marrow donor despite his family being told that the chances of doing so where just 1 percent, according to Yahoo.
Mateo Schell's family was initially informed that he only had two to three months to live if a donor was not found. A worldwide campaign commenced in August, with the Schell family teaming up with Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide to solicit volunteers for compatibility tests in an attempt to find matches for people in need.
The project was a success; Mateo is scheduled to undergo the life-saving operation this coming April.
"We feel very pleased, not only us, because we had many people who were mobilized and were expecting like that," Eduardo Schell, Matthew's father, told Yahoo Spain.
The family's troubles are not over quite yet, however.
"The operation will not be simple, because you have to prepare and some defenses must be taken," Eduardo said. "In an ideal scenario, Mateo should recover in a month and a half, but he can suffer relapses."
Eduardo explained that while there were plenty of people willing to be donors, it wasn't that simple.
"Doctors told us it was necessary to make a preliminary study, because it is difficult to find 100 percent compatibility, and they had to consider what donor may fit better with Mateo," he said.
And while Mateo's story is one of success, he notes that there are still many hanging in the balance.
"We will continue to fight for them."
