By Q Radio News
The parents of seven-year-old Olcán Wilkes are asking people to donate bone marrow to help save his life and that of others in the same position.
Olcán has a rare blood disorder - affecting just two in a million people - called aplastic anaemia, and he needs an urgent transplant.
However, due to the severity of his condition, doctors cannot find a match from his family or on the global register.
They say that without a transplant they cannot be certain how long Olcán will live as any potential illness could be fatal.
The average death rate for those with the condition is 70% within one year and 80% within five years for those under the age of 20, if untreated.
The only known cure for the illness is a transplant.
Olcán is currently undergoing two to three platelet transfusions a week, a blood transfusion every couple of weeks, and attends school remotely via a 'robot' from his home or hospital bed.
Olcán lives with his mum, Genevieve, and dad, Sam, and four-year-old brother, Hunter, between Newent, Gloucestershire, and County Antrim.
His mum, Genevieve, has this message.
Before his diagnosis at age six, he lived a relatively normal life, playing football with his friends and little brother.
In August 2021, however, his parents noticed severe bruising on his body and took him to hospital.
After a number of tests and treatments Olcán was diagnosed with the life-threatening illness.
As well as his aplastic anaemia diagnosis, doctors also found traces of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in his blood.
PNH is another rare blood disease which is commonly caused by aplastic anaemia, causing blood cells to break apart.
His parents are now appealing to the public to help Olcán and others like him by donating their bone marrow.
Saving his life could take just minutes, with a simple online form to fill and a painless swab to return.
To register to become a bone marrow donor please visit: https://www.dkms.org.uk/register-now
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