A young college student from Utah, who is 18 years old, needs a bone marrow donor for a transplant. However, it's tough to find one because she is of mixed Japanese and white ancestry. This has led her family to ask the public for help.
Key points:
- A few weeks after Kaiya Endo began her first year at California Polytechnic State University, she was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disorder where the immune system attacks the bone marrow.
- Despite treatment options like a bone marrow transplant, finding a suitable donor is difficult due to her mixed Japanese and white ethnicity.
The details:
- Endo’s condition has made her almost confined to home and with a severely weakened immune system. She receives blood transfusions every two weeks to manage her condition.
- However, her mixed heritage reduces her chances of finding a matching donor. Cindy Phippen, from Be The Match, which manages the largest and most diverse bone marrow registry globally, explained that “the more unique your genetic makeup, the fewer people with that same genetic makeup.”
- According to Endo’s mother, Allison Jones, they are looking for donors aged 18 to 40 who are of mixed Asian and Caucasian descent.
- Jones is urging more people to register with Be The Match website for the global registry, highlighting the potential to save lives beyond her daughter’s. People can also text TeamKaiyaUT to 61474.
- Despite the challenges, Endo remains optimistic and is looking forward to returning to college and engaging in outdoor activities. “This condition, if treated, isn’t fatal… I know I’ll get through it.” Endo told 2KUTV. “It just kind of sucks and I just have to wait.”
