Young Corfu boy in the USA urgently needs bone marrow transplant
bone marrow
02 Feb 2018
/ 11:21
USA. Little Elias, son of Antonis Argirokastritis from Corfu, who lives with his family in the USA suffers from a rare disease and needs a bone marrow transplant urgently.
Evelyn Argirokastritis, resident of Macomb, Michigan, made a dramatic appeal on behalf of her 6-month-old son in The National Herald. Little Elias suffers from a rare disease that affects his immune system and he needs a bone marrow transplant as soon as possible.
She said that Elias is her second child with Antonis Argirokastritis and until a few months ago he had been completely healthy. On 20th October 2017, little Elias felt unwell and his parents took him to undergo medical tests - not even imagining what lay ahead for their son.
In the period up to Christmas, Elias underwent several tests and about 20 days ago he was diagnosed with the aforementioned rare disease.
“Elias is a fighter. He has borne all the exhausting tests as well as overcoming a rare form of pneumonia which hit him a few weeks ago. He is a fighter and has been giving encouragement to his sister Eleni, me, my husband and all of his relatives, so that we can move heaven and earth to find the minimum amount of bone marrow needed for his operation and to save his life,” said Evelyn.
When asked how Greeks could help, Mrs. Argirokastritis said that the best way is to register with a bone marrow bank or go to the Greek website of the ‘ELPIDA’ Association.
Regarding the possibilities of finding a compatible transplant, she stressed that the probabilities were greater in Greece, but due to the child’s age, the transplant has to be 100% compatible.
Evelyn Argirokastritis has also posted her dramatic appeal on her Facebook page. One of her posted photos shows Elias preparing an information leaflet for the bone marrow tests, which will be conducted on Wednesday 7th February, 17.00 – 21.00 and on Saturday 10th February, 15.00 – 21.00 at the Jagged Fork, 118 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, MI, 48309.
Any healthy person aged 18–44 can take the test. When asked about our people in Greece taking the test, she said that they need to register with the Voluntary Bone Morrow Donors Bank of ‘ELPIDA’ Association.
Voluntary donors in Greece do not need to travel to the USA, but only to contact one of the authorized hospitals and the transplant will be transported on the same day to save little Elias.
She said that Elias is her second child with Antonis Argirokastritis and until a few months ago he had been completely healthy. On 20th October 2017, little Elias felt unwell and his parents took him to undergo medical tests - not even imagining what lay ahead for their son.
In the period up to Christmas, Elias underwent several tests and about 20 days ago he was diagnosed with the aforementioned rare disease.
“Elias is a fighter. He has borne all the exhausting tests as well as overcoming a rare form of pneumonia which hit him a few weeks ago. He is a fighter and has been giving encouragement to his sister Eleni, me, my husband and all of his relatives, so that we can move heaven and earth to find the minimum amount of bone marrow needed for his operation and to save his life,” said Evelyn.
When asked how Greeks could help, Mrs. Argirokastritis said that the best way is to register with a bone marrow bank or go to the Greek website of the ‘ELPIDA’ Association.
Regarding the possibilities of finding a compatible transplant, she stressed that the probabilities were greater in Greece, but due to the child’s age, the transplant has to be 100% compatible.
Evelyn Argirokastritis has also posted her dramatic appeal on her Facebook page. One of her posted photos shows Elias preparing an information leaflet for the bone marrow tests, which will be conducted on Wednesday 7th February, 17.00 – 21.00 and on Saturday 10th February, 15.00 – 21.00 at the Jagged Fork, 118 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, MI, 48309.
Any healthy person aged 18–44 can take the test. When asked about our people in Greece taking the test, she said that they need to register with the Voluntary Bone Morrow Donors Bank of ‘ELPIDA’ Association.
Voluntary donors in Greece do not need to travel to the USA, but only to contact one of the authorized hospitals and the transplant will be transported on the same day to save little Elias.
