Global campaign helps NRG boy find three stem cell matches

SURAT: A 16-month relentless global campaign to find a stem cell match for a four-year-old Gujarati boy living in the UK has finally turned life saving.
Veer Gudhka, whose parents hail from Jamnagar, suffers from Fanconi anaemia, a rare genetic disorder which requires bone marrow transplant. The matches have been found in India, Israel and the UK.
Fanconi anaemia which is inherited prevents the bone marrow from producing enough red blood cells.
“A big thank you to all the people in our core campaign group who have been behind us all the way through the campaigning!'” Veer's family wrote on the special Facebook page thanking everyone who supported their cause.
His father Nirav told TOI over phone from London that Veer’s condition is stable and he does not need any medication for now. “The good news is that we found three matches for stem cells. We will go for Veer's stem cell transplant as per medical expert's advice,” said Nirav, who works in a car company as a business analyst in the UK.
The Gudhka family has been running a campaign encouraging people to get themselves registered as potential stem cell donors and save other's lives. “Till now, over 9,000 people have got themselves registered as potential donors from across the world and even after Veer's transplant is done, we will continue this campaign to encourage people to become life saviours,” Nirav added.
In July, Nirav and his wife Kripa had addressed the Gujarati community in the state and Mumbai, appealing people to come forward and register as stem cell donors. In fact, a special campaign for stem cell donor registration was also launched in India and over 4000 people got themselves registered.
Veer wins charity award
Veer has won 'John Petchy Young Hero of the Year in the Anthony Nolan Supporters Award' in the UK. Anthony Nolan is the charity that makes life saving connections between people with blood cancer and strangers ready to donate their stem cells. The social media campaign 'The Help Veer Now' was the runner-up for the Ethnic Minority Advocate Award.