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Coaldale Family Thanks Blood and Stem Cell Donors for Saving Child

Sep 11, 2016 | 10:19 AM

LETHBRIDGE – Mason Lammers will turn two early next year thanks to a number of blood donors and a stranger who he matched with for a stem cell transplant.

Mason’s family stopped at the Canadian Blood Services clinic in Lethbridge Friday afternoon (Sept. 9) to thank those who were making donations.

“He’s now 20-months old and he’s nine months post-transplant, and he is thriving,” Mason’s mother, Karli Doll, explained to the media. “He is walking, he is running, he is talking, he is making car sounds, he is completely thriving and we owe it to strangers.”

Karli explained that at just over six months of age Mason was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, which meant he needed a stem cell transplant right away. Chemotherapy drove the cancer into remission, but because of the toll the treatment inflicted on Mason’s body, he required at least 15 blood transfusions while he waited for a stem cell match.

On the day she got the news that someone was a match for Mason, Karli called it, “Complete and utter joy.”

When asked what she would say to the people who saved her child’s life, Karli smiled as she started to tear up.

“You are honestly giving people another chance with their child, you’re giving a mother another hug, you’re giving a father another kiss, you’re allowing moments to be made, memories to be made. Sometimes, unfortunately with cancer patients it’s a grim outcome, we’re lucky that it wasn’t with us, but when you have a child that has cancer, you’re living day by day, moment by moment.

“When you make a blood donation or stem cell transplant, it’s giving us another day, another week, another month, another year, and we thrive on that, we need that… You’re giving these families more moments,” Karli continued.

While it’s a happy ending for one family, Belinda Tomiyama, Territory Manager for Canadian Blood Services, noted that there are many others still waiting for help.

“Across this country we have over a thousand people waiting for a stem cell transplant, of those people, we will find a match for 50-per cent of them,” explained Tomiyama. “Every person who joins the registry gives approximately 500 patients more hope.

“Right now we’re looking for 17 to 35 year old males to join the registry, right now our registry across Canada is only 20-per cent of that demographic,” Tomiyama added.

To become a part of the registry and help save a life, visit blood.ca.