Connor is a 5-year-old Korean American kid who is suffering from X-linked Hyper IgM syndrome, a devastating immuno-deficiency. It mostly affects boys and is so rare that there are less than 300 people living with this disease. The median age of someone with this disease is 25 years old. Here's a message from Connor's Aunt:
This is Connor, my nephew.
Connor is my brother's only child. He's a beautiful 5 year old with a sweet disposition and an amazing way with any kind of gadget or computer. He's an avid swimmer, loves all things Ben10, and considers the little mermaid Ariel his girlfriend.
We just learned that he has X-linked hyper IGM. This clinical sounding disease is a devastating immuno-deficiency. The 1 in a million diagnosed with this condition usually succumb to liver cirrhosis or lung infection during childhood, the lucky few may survive into their mid-20's.
Connor's dad says Connor never complains about the many needles that the nurses poke him with during his monthly blood transfusions or about the innumerable flus, stomach aches and other infections he's had since he was born.
Before I learned about Connor's disease, I never knew how risky and grueling a bone marrow transplant is. Chemotherapy strips away the existing immune system to make room for the new immune system that a donor provides. This is followed by 6 months post-operative isolation in a hospital room.
But it's the only hope he has, the only known cure.
I'm asking one thing. Please get your bone marrow typed and join a bone marrow registry. Just go to www.marrow.org to register online (promo code teamconnor). They'll mail you a free kit with cotton swabs to collect a sample. It's painless and doesn't cost anything but 10 minutes of your time.
Please help save Connor and others like him. Thank you.
Michelle - Connor's Aunt
Here's the simple truth: Connor's only hope for survival is a bone marrow transplant. His family is asking you to join a bone marrow registry. You can go to marrow.org to register online (promo code teamconnor). You could be the one who saves Connor or others like him. For more information about Connor's situation, go here.
