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A boy’s life-saving bone marrow transplant has finally arrived in Australia after the critical delivery missed an earlier flight after being left on a US tarmac.
Mateoh Eggleton, 6, will now undergo surgery next month in Brisbane after battling it out for three years since he was first diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019.
The much-needed cells from a donor in the US were abandoned at a US airport this week on route to Brisbane, causing disbelief among family members.
The late-arrival of the bone marrow was tested and found to still be viable, ensuring the young boy has the green light for a transplant next month.
It comes after his mum Shalyn Eggleton fought hard to get the critical medical tissue delivered after the apparent airport bungle.
Mateoh Eggleton (pictured), 6, will now undergo surgery next month in Brisbane after battling it out for three years since he was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019
‘He’s fought three and a half years…and for someone to be so neglectful and just naive when it comes to such a thing like this,’ Ms Eggleton (pictured with her son) said earlier this week
She called out those responsible earlier this week for being ‘neglectful and naive’ in transporting the urgent item.
‘How could something [with] such a big medical protocol and procedure be left behind at an airport when it should be technically supervised 24/7,’ Ms Eggleton told Nine News.
‘He’s fought three and a half years…and for someone to be so neglectful and just naive when it comes to such a thing like this,’ Ms Eggleton said.
The late-arrival of the bone marrow was tested and found to still be viable, ensuring the young boy has the green light for a transplant next month
‘Like, this is what he’s been waiting for and someone’s just left it behind.’
She said she had received no explanation why it was left behind since Mateoh’s oncologist revealed the stem cells had not been loaded onto the aircraft.
‘They then had to get sent back to the harvesting centre for more dry ice,’ Ms Eggleton told ABC.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Children’s Hospital told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday the delayed arrival of the cells would not ‘adversely impact’ the boy’s care.
‘Mateoh has been a long-term patient at the Queensland Children’s Hospital and his care team understands and shares the family’s disappointment at this unforeseen delay in the delivery of his donor cells,’ they said.
‘At all times our priority has been ensuring the donation remains viable so Mateoh’s bone marrow transplant can safely proceed.’
The six-year-old had undergone six weeks of treatment in preparation for the transplant which was then delayed due to the late arrival.
But on Friday Ms Eggleton posted on social media he will start preparing for the transplant after tests revealed the stem cells were good to use.
The mother said this transplant was Mateoh’s last chance, after he previously underwent gruelling chemotherapy and blood transfusions to keep him alive.
‘Mateoh knows how sick he is, and he knows this is his last chance … and he’s very knowledgeable as he sees everything day in and day out,’ Ms Eggleton said.
She said Mateoh had undergone nine different types of treatment within the past 18 months.
The boy underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in 2020 but was then diagnosed with hemolytic anaemia – where red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be replaced.
The devastating result meant the family had to find another donor.
The family then found a previous match in Britain but the donors decided to decline the transplant – leaving Mateoh and his mother running out of options.
‘Mateoh knows how sick he is, and he knows this is his last chance … and he’s very knowledgeable as he sees everything day in and day out,’ Ms Eggleton (pictured, with her son) said
The mum said they were forced to look overseas for donors after not finding any in Australia.
‘This is the third donor we’ve now found and they were harvested around the 7th of February.’
She said she had spoken to the CEO of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) about the shocking delay and was told ‘it’s under investigation’.
The organisation is responsible for arranging and transporting bone marrow and blood stem cell donations for patients in need of a transplant in Australia.
The little boy starts preparation treatment on March 3 with the transplant to take place 10 days later, Ms Eggleton said on social media.
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