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A child’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 runway.
Mateoh Eggleton, 6, will now undergo surgery next month in Brisbane after struggling for three years since he was first diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019.
Much-needed cells from a US donor were abandoned at a US airport this week en route to Brisbane, prompting disbelief among family members.
The late-arrival bone marrow was tested and found to still be viable, ensuring the boy has the green light for a transplant next month.
It comes after her mother, Shalyn Eggleton, fought hard to have critical medical tissue delivered to her after the apparent mistake at the airport.
Mateoh Eggleton (pictured), 6, will now undergo surgery next month in Brisbane after struggling for three years since being diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019.
“She has struggled for three and a half years…and for someone to be so negligent and naive when it comes to something like this,” Ms Eggleton (pictured with her son) said earlier this week.
He called out those responsible earlier this week for being “negligent and naive” in transporting the urgent item.
‘How could anything [with] such a large medical protocol and procedure to be left behind at an airport when it should be technically monitored 24/7,” said Ms Eggleton nine news.
“He has fought for three and a half years…and for someone to be so negligent and naive when it comes to something like this,” Ms Eggleton said.
The late-arrival bone marrow was tested and found to still be viable, ensuring the boy has the green light for a transplant next month.
‘Like, this is what he’s been waiting for and someone just left him behind.’
She said she had not received any explanation as to why it was left behind since Mateoh’s oncologist revealed that the stem cells had not been loaded onto the plane.
“Then they had to be sent back to the collection center for more dry ice,” Ms Eggleton said. abc.
A Queensland Children’s Hospital spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday that the delay in the arrival of the cells will not “negatively affect” the child’s care.
“Mateoh has been a long-term patient at 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.
“Throughout, our priority has been to ensure that the donation remains viable so that Mateoh’s bone marrow transplant can be performed safely.”
The six-year-old boy had undergone six weeks of treatment in preparation for the transplant, which was later delayed due to late arrival.
But on Friday, Ms Eggleton posted on social media that she 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 grueling 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 well informed as he sees it all day in and day out,” Ms Eggleton said.
She said Mateoh had undergone nine different types of treatment in the past 18 months.
The boy underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in 2020, but was later diagnosed with hemolytic anemia, in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be replaced.
The devastating result meant that the family had to find another donor.
The family then found an earlier match in Britain, but the donors decided to reject the transplant, leaving Mateoh and his mother with no options.
“Mateoh knows how sick he is, and he knows this is his last chance… and he is very well informed as he sees it all day after day,” said Ms Eggleton (pictured with her son).
The mother said they were forced to look abroad for donors after failing to find any in Australia.
‘This is the third donor we have found and they were collected around the 7th of February.’
She said that she had spoken to him. CEO of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) about the shocking delay and was told ‘is under investigation’.
The organization is responsible for arranging and transporting bone marrow and blood stem cell donations for patients in need of a transplant in Australia.
The toddler begins preparatory treatment on March 3 and the transplant will take place 10 days later, Ms Eggleton said on social media.