A mother’s stressful wait to see if her young son’s life-saving bone marrow transplant would work after the cells are dumped on an airport tarmac.
- Mateoh Eggleton, 6, undergoes a bone marrow transplant
- The transplant had been left on the runway in the US but finally arrived
A boy has finally had potentially life-saving surgery after a tense wait after his bone marrow was first dumped on the tarmac of a US airport.
Mateoh Eggleton, 6, received his much-needed stem cell transplant on Monday after the cells finally arrived in Brisbane last Friday.
The Gold Coast boy was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019, meaning his white blood cells were unable to fight off certain types of bacteria.
His health issues were originally cured with a first transplant in 2020, however the treatment resulted in his being diagnosed with a rare and even more serious condition known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure.
The surgery was the last chance for Mateoh and he will remain in the hospital for at least the next 90 days while he recovers.
Mateoh Eggleton (pictured with mum Shalyn) underwent a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening genetic condition.
Matoh Eggleton, from the Gold Coast, underwent potentially life-saving surgery after he was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019, meaning his white blood cells were unable to fight off certain types of bacteria.
After his surgery, Mateoh thanked his donor, and his mother Shalyn told 7News that there is still a long way to go.
“I’m a little relieved, but we still have a long way to go for Mateoh’s recovery,” she said.
It will be at least two to three weeks before the doctors know if the boy’s transplant has been successful, and the doctors will tell his mother to prepare for his condition to worsen.
“There is a possibility of pneumonia,” he said.
“The doctors have let us know that we are ready for ICU and ventilators.”
While a donor could eventually be found for Mateoh, obtaining the desperately needed cells was a challenge in itself.
The cells were abandoned at a US airport last month en route to Brisbane, causing disbelief among family members before the transplant finally made it to Australia.
The boy’s first transplant for a granulomatous disease saw him in and out of the intensive care unit.
Mateoh’s mother, Shalyn, told the Today Show on Monday that receiving this transplant will be her son’s hardest fight.
“This is our last treatment option,” Ms Eggleton told the Today Show.
‘Mateoh is a little nervous like you would be, this will be our hardest (step).
“With this transplant being our last trial option, we don’t really know if it’s going to work or not,” he said.
We don’t know how sick Mateoh will get. We just don’t know how he’s going to go and that’s where my biggest nerves are right now.
The six-year-old has undergone nine different types of treatment for his condition in the past 18 months.
The boy’s much-needed cells were mistakenly left on the tarmac at a US airport last month, forcing a delay in surgery.
The mother said the transplant was Mateoh’s last chance, as the six-year-old boy previously underwent grueling chemotherapy and blood transfusions to keep him alive.
The six-year-old has undergone nine different types of treatment for his condition in the past 18 months.
