Dylan (9 years old) suffers from dyskeratosis congenita. Also called “Zinsser-Engman-Cole syndrome”, this rare genetic disease is characterized by bone marrow failure, that is to say by a defect in the production of cells by the bone marrow. Very concretely, his mother explains that “while a human body functions with 160,000 to 400,000 blood platelets, Dylan usually only has 19,000, he gets tired very quickly and has bone pain“.
Dylan has been cared for for a month at the children’s hospital in Purpan (31): twice a week, he receives a transfusion of platelets to fight against the symptoms of the pathology – bone weakening, developmental delay, disorders visual and dental…
Problem : as the French Blood Establishment (EFS) explains, “this year, blood supplies have suffered a significant drop due to social unrest which has an impact on blood drive attendance“: it is particularly a question of disruptions in transport which deter potential donors…
Blood reserves are low: what if we donate?
“My son needs urgent transfusions which can only be done in the hospital” worries the young mother of 29 years. “If the Necker or Saint-Louis hospital in Paris runs out of platelets, there could be repercussions throughout France and the consequences could be dramatic for the children. (…) If Dylan no longer benefits, he can catch infections and that will soon be the end of it.“
The mother of the little patient therefore launched an appeal for blood donations on his Instagram account : “citizens are defending their rights by demonstrating, but it is also our duty as parents to raise awareness among the French of the decline in blood donation and its consequences, which could be disastrous“.
For its part, the EFS emphasizes that “donors are therefore invited to mobilize now to allow the EFS to replenish a good level of stock during this very sensitive period and to meet the needs of patients who remain permanent and important“. Why not give a nice gift to a child for Christmas?
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