Battling toddler's family 'devastated' after donor match lost

The family of a Highland toddler who needs a life-saving bone marrow transplant say they’ve been left devastated after being told her donor match was no longer available.

Adeline Davidson’s parents say they are back to square one and hope people will sign up to be tested as a potential match for the youngster.

Adeline has the blood disease myelodysplasia, which means she needs to receive a blood transfusion every week to keep her alive.

The three-year-old, from Invergordon, was due to undergo the procedure in February but illness delayed the operation, and then the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic halted any further progress.

The family have been shielding to protect her immune system but have now received word from consultants that the matched donor is no longer an option.

Steph Davidson, Adeline’s mum, said: “I was expecting a date for transplant, but were called and told we now have no donors available.

“The reasons are confidential on their part, but what I can say is it is a lot to to do with the pandemic.

“We have been waiting almost two years and we are back to square one, just with less hope this time – there is nobody on the register that matches Adeline so we have to start again really.”

Hundreds of people turned out to a public donor drive in Inverness last year in a bid to find a match for Adeline but the pandemic means that is now not an option.

The family hope that people will sign up online for test kits to be sent out to see if they are a potential match.

Ms Davidson added: “It’s hard – Covid was one of our first setbacks when we thought she was getting her transplant in February, but it was delayed and now we don’t have the donors that we had.

“Adeline’s not doing what she should be doing as a three-year-old and her younger siblings haven’t had a chance to really experience anything because we have to keep Adeline safe.

“We can’t see family and we wonder how long are we meant to keep this up – is this just our life?”

“A lot of people use the expression ‘it’s life or death’ but it really is.

“All we can do is hope that we find a new donor by getting word out and getting more people to sign up on the donor register.

“It just takes one person but it’s a whole wide world out there – it’s our only hope.”

To register, click here or visit the Anthony Nolan website for more information.