Grant aids bone marrow transplant

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 1

Grant aids bone marrow transplant

By

SARAH SANDS,

health reporter A South Island teenager has received $20,000 towards a lifesaving bone marrow transplant from excess funds given in a public appeal for Regan Chibnall. The 16-year-old, who wants to remain anonymous, was diagnosed as having acute myeloid leukemia in May last year. She needs a specialised bone marrow transplant at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, which will cost about $60,000. The girl’s father said yesterday that the East Hamilton Lions Club Charitable Trust, which administers surplus funds from the public appeal for Regan Chibnall’s liver transplant, had made a substantial grant towards the operation. A $40,000 Government grant had also been approved by the Minister of Health, Mr Caygill, after an urgent request from the Canterbury Hospital Board, he said. The total amount of money needed would depend on how long his daughter had to remain in Sydney after the surgery, he said. “So far, we have not publicly appealed for money — we’re not excluding it but we would prefer not to if we can avoid it.” The diagnosis had been a shock to the whole family, he said. His daughter had been a steady, healthy girl. “It’s quite traumatic.” She did not go to the doctor for this but for something else. We did not suspect in any way.” Chemotherapy soon after the leukemia was diagnosed had put the disease in remission but in December, the girl had suffered a relapse, he said. However, a strong Christian

faith was supporting her and the family through the ordeal, the father said. "We’re coping quite well but it changes your life-style considerably — particularly as we don’t . live in Christchurch.” Even with some long absences from school, his daughter had done well, passing four out of five School Certificate subjects, he said. The head of the Christchurch Hospital haemotology department, Dr Michael Beard, said yesterday that it was hoped the transplant would be done in March or early April once a suitable donor was found. An English research centre, the Anthony Nolan Research Trust, had been asked in December to find a donor. So far, the trust, which registers and tests potential bone marrow donors, had identified several people who could be suitable, said Dr Beard. “They’re working through these donors at the moment and they feel we should know within a couple of weeks.” Once selected, the donor would be flown to Sydney for the transplant. The specialised bone marrow transplant offered the teenager the best chance of survival, said Dr Beard. An autologous transplant — using the patient’s own bone marrow — had been scheduled for February but this had been ruled outaftertherelapse, he said. An autologous transplant could be done only when the cancer was in remission, he said. A transplant with bone marrow from a sibling was not possible because the teenager’s older brother did not have a compatible tissue type, said Dr Beard.