Parents are left devastated as ten-month-old son is suddenly diagnosed with a rare life-threatening illness and say they’re on ‘borrowed time’ without an urgent bone marrow transplant
- Ten-month-old Reign Miller-Hardy, from Wales, diagnosed with a genetic disease
- Life-threatening condition causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues
- Heartbroken family say he won’t survive without urgent bone marrow transplant
- Great aunt Lisa Evans, 32, said family are devastated, explaining: ‘We are on borrowed time’
A family has issued an urgent plea for bone marrow donors to come forward in the hope of finding a match for their severely unwell baby boy.
Ten-month-old Reign Miller-Hardy, from Barry, Wales, was diagnosed with a genetic disease known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), which causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs including the liver, brain and bone marrow, earlier this month.
His heartbroken family say he will not survive without an urgent bone marrow transplant and are now urgently seeking a match for the youngster.
Meanwhile Reign’s parents, Scott Hardy, 28, and Ashleigh Miller, 32, have had to take it in turns to be by their son’s bedside because only one of them is allowed on the ward at one time due to the pandemic.
His great aunt Lisa Evans, 32, revealed: ‘Three weeks ago you would never have thought he’d be in this situation…We are on borrowed time. He won’t survive without the bone marrow transplant.’
Ten-month-old Reign Miller-Hardy (pictured with his mother Ashleigh), from Barry, Wales, was diagnosed with a genetic disease known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) earlier this month
The life-threatening condition causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs including the liver, brain and bone marrow. Pictured: The youngster receiving treatment
Speaking on behalf of the family, Reign’s great auntie Lisa Evans, 32, said: ‘Reign had a temperature and was just really miserable for a few days, so the doctors thought it was either a virus or an ear infection.
‘He didn’t improve so they tested him for COVID-19, but that came back negative. This all happened in the space of four to five days.’
After being admitted to UHW, Lisa said Reign’s condition deteriorated very quickly and he was taken for a lumbar puncture and scans where his diagnosis was confirmed.
Lisa explained the family were stunned by the diagnosis, revealing: ‘Looking back he did have a few coughs and colds, which is a sign new that his immune system was not working properly.
After a spell at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Reign (pictured) has now been transferred to a hospital in Newcastle where he is receiving specialist care
However, Reign’s (pictured with his great aunt Lisa) heartbroken family say he will not survive without an urgent bone marrow transplant
‘It’s a really hard illness to diagnose because it’s so very rare.’
She added: ‘He had a one in a million chance of getting this disease.’
After the diagnosis, Reign was then started on a round of intense chemotherapy and put in an induced coma to let his body rest.
The youngster was was then transferred from hospital in Wales to the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
Reign’s parents, Scott Hardy (pictured with his son), 28, and Ashleigh Miller, 32, have had to take it in turns to be by their son’s bedside because only one of them is allowed on the ward at one time due to the pandemic
Lisa explained: ‘The treatment isn’t working as fast as they would like it to, so he needs a very urgent bone marrow transplant.’
Lisa, who has joined them in Newcastle, added: ‘They are under a lot of pressure at the moment. They are deeply upset and desperately hoping for a match.’
People aged 17-30 can join through giving blood with the Welsh Blood Service, or request a swab kit from Anthony Nolan or DKMS.