Brothers to get life-saving bone marrow transplants
CAITHNESS brothers who have a rare genetic condition are to get life-saving bone marrow transplants.
Four-year-old Arran Macleod is due to undergo his operation at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Yorkhill) in Glasgow on September 12.
His seven-year-old brother Euan, who has the same condition, will also get a transplant at the same hospital once Arran has recovered. No date has been set for Euan’s operation although it could be around the middle of October.
The young brothers have chronic granulomatous disorder (CGD) and although it is genetic, there is no history of the condition on either side of the family. The only cure is a bone marrow transplant.
Arran, who lives with his family at Upper Dounreay, will travel to hospital with his parents Janet and Calum Macleod on August 25.
Preparatory procedures will be undertaken the following day and Arran will then go home for a short time before returning to hospital.
He will undergo other procedures, including a form of chemotherapy, prior to the operation.
Mrs Macleod said: "If all goes well, he should be out of hospital four to six weeks after the transplant but will then be on day care for anything from a couple of months upwards. The plan is that once Arran comes out of hospital and goes on to day care, Euan will go into hospital for his treatment
.
"We are absolutely delighted the transplants are going ahead so soon as excellent matches are available for both boys. They have the best chance of a good recovery the younger and healthier they are.
"We are obviously apprehensive as there are risks associated with the transplants and there are no guarantees the operations will be successful. But we know this is the only chance our boys have of normal lives so we have no option but to go with it and hope and pray that all goes well."
Calum agreed: "The bone marrow donor matches are the very best they can be. We have no guarantee the transplants will be successful but without them the boys would have no future."
The 46-year-old added that within a week to 10 days after the operation, which involves a 40-minute stem-cell infusion, the family should know if it has been successful.
Asked how the youngsters were coping, he said: "They both understand they need to be fixed and once they are fixed everything will be back to normal. They cope very well and take their medicine. There are occasional grumbles but they know they have to take it. If they don’t they have to go to hospital."
And what about the parents?
"We have to cope for them," Mr Macleod said.
"This is not about us, it is about the boys. There is light at the end of the tunnel and we have to focus on that."
When Arran and his mum and dad are away, Euan will stay with Calum’s parents in Reay until he has to go for his operation.
Mrs Macleod (44) said: "We will have to stay in Glasgow for anything from four to nine months depending on how quickly the boys recover.
"Fortunately, Highland Health Board have found us an apartment to stay in while we are in the city because, unfortunately, as the boys have a genetic condition rather than a disease such as cancer, we aren’t eligible for any of the normal accommodation available to transplant families.
The Macleod family has been "so touched" by the support from the local community.
Mrs Macleod added: "So many people have gone out of their way to help us. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who is supporting us and we really hope they will continue to support the boys through our appeal to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Trust.
"If it wasn’t for the wonderful work they do to maintain a bone marrow register and match patients and donors, there would be very little hope for either of our boys to live past their teens.
The condition means the boys’ white blood cells have a fault which prevents them fighting bacterial or fungal infections properly.
CGD affects between 250 and 280 people in the UK.
* A charity ceilidh and auction is being held in Wick by the Macleod family to raise funds for the Anthony Nolan Trust.The event is being staged in the Norseman Hotel on September 27.Mrs Macleod said: "We have some great lots up for grabs. They include three days of salmon fishing on the River Thurso, two tickets for Deacon Blue’s gig in Glasgow on December 1 with an invite to join the band for a ‘meet and greet’ before the gig."Two signed Rangers footballs and items from Dundee United – possibly a signed shirt from Gary Mackay-Steven who comes from Thurso – will also be available.Tickets will be on sale soon priced at £15, which includes a light supper, but advance bookings can be made by contacting Lyn Ross on 01847 891810 or lynross1@icloud.com If anyone would like to donate items for the auction, raffle or bottle stall they can do so by contacting Lyn or Jean Gunn on 01955 603270 or jean.gunn@yahoo.co.uk.