PARENTS of a toddler who needs blood transfusions to stay alive are overjoyed after a bone marrow donor was found.

Three-year-old Henry Alderson was born with a rare genetic condition called diamond blackfan anaemia.

The condition stops his bone marrow from functioning properly and means he has to have blood transfusions every three to four weeks.

He’s also the only person in the world to also have a faulty myelodysplasia gene, making it more likely that he will develop a form of blood cancer.

Henry’s parents Zoe and Craig, who live in Dovercourt, tried raising £50,000 for three cycles of IVF for a saviour sibling for their son.

The couple hoped if IVF was successful a bone marrow transplant from a sibling donor would transform Henry’s life.

Gazette:

But the parents plans for a saviour sibling have taken a dramatic turn as an anonymous donor has come forward to give Henry his much-needed transplant.

Zoe, 32, said: “I’m not really sure I can put into words what the donor’s help means to us. It’s the most precious gift you can ever give and a completely selfless act.

“We don’t know anything about the donor, it’s all anonymous but we will be able to find out some details about them a year after they have donated to Henry.”

Zoe said the donor is the best match possible from an unrelated donor and Henry will be admitted to hospital on April 9.

From that date he will have a week’s worth of chemotherapy to knock out his faulty bone marrow and the transplant will be the following week.

Henry would then have three months in isolation in hospital and up to a year’s isolation at home while his immune system recovers.

Zoe said: “There’s a one in ten risk of death and lots of long-term implications but if it goes to plan, it’ll give him a much better quality of life.

“We hope it will mean Henry will get to live a normal, healthy life, free from hospitals, needles and constant tests.”

Money raised so far will help cover expenses or go to DBA UK.