Baby with rare blood cancer finally finds stem cell match: ‘A real pinch me moment’

The family of a four-month-old baby with an aggressive and rare blood cancer have said a “huge weight” has been lifted from their shoulders after a search for a stem cell match was successful.

Baby Francis, from Walton, Liverpool, has acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a type of blood cancer which causes the bone marrow to make too many abnormal white blood cells and prevents it from making healthy blood cells.

He is undergoing chemotherapy, but doctors have told the family his only chance of a cure would be a stem cell transplant.

Last month Francis’s mother Anna urged people aged 16-30 to sign the Anthony Nolan register in a bid to find her son a match, which has proved fruitful.

She told the PA news agency: “To find out Francis had a match was like a huge weight being lifted from our shoulders.

“To find out Francis was in remission is a feeling we could never begin to describe. We were so sure that he wouldn’t be, so to find out he was was amazing.

“We found out while Francis was smiling away and it was just a real pinch me moment.”

Francis has just finished a second round of chemotherapy, and Anna said: “This round has been a lot more intense than the first.

“We are now waiting for Francis’s blood count to drop and rebuild. In this time he could become unwell as his body will be unable to fight infections.”

She added that her son “is fine in himself at the moment” despite the gruelling treatment, adding: “We can see where the chemotherapy is starting to take effect but he is still smiling away.

“He’s gone into this round healthy so hopefully he manages the side effects better than last time.”

Anna initially took Francis for blood tests when he was just six weeks old after spotting an unexplained bruise on his arm.

While further tests did not reveal anything abnormal, he was eventually given a bone marrow biopsy when he became very ill and tired, which showed his bone marrow was 80% cancer cells.

According to the NHS, about 3,100 people are diagnosed with AML in the UK each year.

The risk of developing the disease increases with age and it is most common in those over the age of 75.

Speaking at the time, Anna said finding out Francis has cancer had “completely turned our world upside down”.

The family continues to be supported by Anthony Nolan.

Anna added: “We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has signed up to the Anthony Nolan register.

“If people didn’t sign up to the register Francis wouldn’t find a match. There are so many people in need and by someone taking a few minutes out of their day and signing up could save someone’s life.”

Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “We were so thrilled to hear that not only is Francis in remission, but a number of perfect stem cell matches have been found for him.

“His journey is far from over, and we’re continuing to support his family during this challenging time.

“We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported this appeal so far. We still need more people to sign up to the register who can offer a second chance at life to someone like Francis.

“Anyone can sign up to be a lifesaver by visiting Anthony Nolan’s website and completing a short form, after which we’ll send cheek swabs to them in the post for them to return to us.”