Devan is 4-years-old and suffers from Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, a rare disease that prevents the body from producing healthy red blood cells. His doctors have only 11 weeks to find a stem cell donor so the young boy can undergo a transplant that would save his life.

The chances of finding a bone marrow donor are already slim for minorities in North America, but Devan Tatlow is a special exception. He is of mixed European and South Asian descent, reducing the likelihood of finding a cord blood or bone marrow donor even further.

In order for someone to be a match for Devan, they must have the same Human Leukoctye Antigens (HLA) markers, which determine tissue type. All people have 10 HLA markers, with half being from each parent. Devan is ¼ Indian and ¾ European, giving him a 1 in 200 000 chance of finding a match. Asian American donors only make up 7.2% of the total number of donors in the National Registry for Stem Cell Donors, so Devan’s doctors are encouraging mixed-race individuals and minorities to get tested.

Testing your tissue type is a simple and painless process. The potential donor will be sent a kit, with a swab and a small tube. They must then swab their mouth with the supplied materials and return it to the registry, where it will be tested to see whether or not it will be a match for Devan or another patient with a blood disease.

His doctors are also encouraging expecting parents to consider banking their children’s cord blood privately or donating to a bank. If a match is found, neither Devan nor the donor would not have to undergo the painful bone marrow donation process.

 

Devan’s family hopes that people will spread the word by joining their cause on Facebook or attending a drive near in the United Kingdom or the United States.

 

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