Teddy was only a year old when he was diagnosed with leukemia.
Doctors estimate that the boy now has a 97 percent chance of survival, thanks to something many parents “discard.”
His mother, Sarah Cripps, 37, was devastated when her 17-month-old son, Teddy, was diagnosed with leukemia.
Sarah had noticed some swollen lumps on the back of his head and had a hunch about what it could be. She was terrified.
Photo: Facebook
– When I saw the bumps, I was really scared. My cousin died of leukemia when I was about 12, so I went straight to the doctor to express my concerns, she told Manchester Evening News.
“I felt the ground beneath me give way”
The doctor wasn’t really concerned about Teddy. But since his mother was so frightened, she sought a second opinion from another doctor within 24 hours. That’s when she discovered that something serious was wrong with the boy.
The doctor conducted a blood test on Teddy and found that there was a reason for Sarah’s concern. The 1-year-old had acute myeloid leukemia, also known as blood cancer.
The boy had to undergo chemotherapy, and he urgently needed a stem cell transplant.
Sarah was told his survival rate was 13 percent.
– I was convinced that Teddy’s twin brother George would be a match. But when I found out he wasn’t, it felt like he was being diagnosed again. I felt the ground beneath me give way, says Sarah, and continues:
– The doctors said there was a good chance they would find a good match for Teddy, and fortunately they did.
Donor found in Spain
He received his new blood from an 11-year-old boy in Spain. The blood came from the placenta the mother of the boy wanted to donate when her son was born. The organ contains umbilical cord blood full of stem cells.
The transplant went smoothly. He also did not need painkillers.
At the same time, he continued to eat and received nutrition.
– For me, the three things that saved Teddy’s life were early diagnosis, good nutrition, and stem cell transplantation from umbilical cord blood, says Sarah.
Today, Teddy is 3 years old and has a 97 percent chance of survival.
Sarah appeals to all mothers
Sarah thanks the Spanish woman who decided to donate her placenta after giving birth. She now urges others to do the same, instead of letting it be discarded by midwives.
– If I were standing there with my child in front of a pregnant mother and said, “My child will die without a stem cell transplant, and his best chance of survival comes from your placenta that you throw in the trash – can I have that?” I don’t think there would be a mother in the world who would have said, “No,” says Sarah.
She continues:
– You will never understand the feeling when you’re told there’s a way to save your child’s life, but it doesn’t come from drugs you can buy, but from a fully selfless human who woke up one day and decided to give this away.
What an amazing story! Glad to hear things are getting better for Teddy.
