Little fighter Gaurav turns lifesaver
Zipping around the living room little Gaurav Bains is just like other happy youngster. But the two-and-a half year old has already had to face more than most would in a lifetime – and he has got more to come.
He is facing two months in almost complete isolation while his immune system is destroyed and a new one is rebuilt using stem cells, as part of a bone marrow transplant.
But not only is he a 'little fighter', as his dad Sunny calls him, but he may also turn out to be a little lifesaver.
As part of a campaign to find Gaurav a bone marrow donor, thousands of new people have registered – meaning people like him, fighting rare and dangerous diseases, may now find their perfect donor matches.
Shop worker Sunny, aged 31, said: "Anything we can do to help raise awareness is a huge bonus."
Gaurav was born, five weeks prematurely after mother Gurprit had a scan which revealed he was a small baby with an abnormally large heart.
The first two years of his life were also dramatic and traumatic for his family, from Alexandra Road in Tipton, as multiple infections and fits led to many weeks spent in hospital.
In June the young family were rocked by the news that Gaurav suffered from an extremely rare blood disorder, Monosomy 7 Syndrome, which if left untreated would lead to aggressive leukaemia, a condition which he would be unlikely to survive.
Sunny said: "Your world comes crashing down. Then to be told how rare the condition is, that just made it worse and you think 'why him?'
The family were then told Gaurav would need a bone marrow transplant. After his mother, father and four-year-old sister were not found to be a match a campaign was launched to find more donors from the Asian community.
Earlier this month the family received the best possible news when a match was found. Before the transplant on December 18, Gaurav will be undergoing chemotherapy so a new immune system can be rebuilt from the donated stem cells.
He will be in isolation until early next year and it will be two years before the family can be sure Gaurav is on his way out of the woods.
Anthony Nolan is reporting a 1,200 per cent increase in Asian donors, thanks to Gaurav's inspiration.
Sunny feels the lack of potential donors is down to a lack of awareness of what the process involves. Gurprit, 31, added: "It's not about Gaurav now, we could step aside, we are done.
"But we are carrying on raising awareness.
"If we can just get two or three more people to sign up it would be worth it – they could end up saving a life."
Visit www.anthonynolan.org or www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk for more details.