Calgary family launches life-saving stem cell donor drive
The family of a Calgary teen battling a rare form of cancer has launched a stem cell donor drive in an attempt to find a life-saving match.
A competitive swimmer, Julian Ho, 15, had his life turned upside down in February 2020 after a training session.
Unusually tire after swim practices, Julian's parents took him to see their family doctor, and blood tests were ordered.
The next day he was taken to Alberta Children's Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
He was kept in hospital and underwent five rounds of chemotherapy, where he experienced fungal infections and other complications.
In August 2020 he was allowed to return home, then a monthly bone marrow exam in November 2020 showed the cancer had returned.
Julian would need a stem cell donor, but the pandemic made that difficult. His mother -- who was above the usual age of between 17 and 35 for donors – was healthy and turned out to be a half match for Julian, so a transplant was done in February.
Four weeks later, his body had adapted to the stem cells and he was released home to recover in March, where he was able to finish Grade 9.
Then in mid-July, the cancer returned once again, meaning Julian is in need of another stem cell transplant.
So far, no suitable donor has been found, so his parents launched the donor drive.
Because he has Chinese ancestry, doctors say his best hope is to find someone with similar Asian heritage. Only 3.9 per cent of those registered in the Canadian Blood Services’ Stem Cell Registry are of Chinese descent, making it hard for patients like Julian to find a match.
The family's stem cell drive is searching for potential donors between the ages of 17 and 35 to register and receive a swab kit from Canadian Blood Services.
If you are between the ages of 17 and 35 and are of Asian descent, you could be the life saving match and hope that Julian desperately needs! Register as a potential donor here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.