Brave little Sheffield girl with life-threatening condition still waiting for bone marrow donor match

A doting Sheffield family are still searching for a bone marrow match to cure their brave little girl.
Little Myla in hospital. Picture: Family handoutLittle Myla in hospital. Picture: Family handout
Little Myla in hospital. Picture: Family handout

A doting Sheffield family are still searching for a bone marrow match to cure their brave little girl.

Sprightly Myla Mae Hatcher, from Woodhouse, was diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia, a condition described by doctors as a 'one in a million' and the only cure is a transplant.

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The four-year-old who loves to dancing, gymnastics and Sheffield Wednesday, is a regular at Sheffield Children's Hospital and has to have several blood and platelet transfusions a week.

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The rare disease stops the regular formation of red and white blood cells. The cells are needed to carry oxygen around the body and to fight infections.

Dad Jon and mum Danielle are concerned as the condition severely impacts Myla's immune system leaving her susceptible to the most common illnesses.

Salon owner Natalie Reaney has transformed her business at Drakehouse to encourage other to sign up to the bone marrow register in aid to help little Myla Mae Hatcher. Pictured with dad Jon.Salon owner Natalie Reaney has transformed her business at Drakehouse to encourage other to sign up to the bone marrow register in aid to help little Myla Mae Hatcher. Pictured with dad Jon.
Salon owner Natalie Reaney has transformed her business at Drakehouse to encourage other to sign up to the bone marrow register in aid to help little Myla Mae Hatcher. Pictured with dad Jon.

Her five-month-old brother Rio's bone marrow was tested but sadly, he wasn't a match.

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The couple have been actively campaigning for people to join the bone marrow register in a desperate search for a match.

Businesses across Sheffield have come together to raise awareness and a Twitter hashtag of #MylasFight has been adopted on social media.

Myla's dad Jon said: "We are still waiting for a match. All we can do is sit tight and wait for a phone call.

Dad Jon, mum Danielle, little Myla and her baby brother Rio. Picture: Andy Roe/The StarDad Jon, mum Danielle, little Myla and her baby brother Rio. Picture: Andy Roe/The Star
Dad Jon, mum Danielle, little Myla and her baby brother Rio. Picture: Andy Roe/The Star

"Because Myla'a condition is so rare and her immune system is so weak, the donor has to be a 10 out of 10 match.

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"We have had a lot of people helping us out, people we know through friends of friends who have got involved in some way, it's been crazy.

"Complete strangers have been telling us they've signed up and we can't thank people enough - there are no amount of words that could truly say how thankful we are to everyone.

"All we can do is keep raising the awareness and urge people to sign up to the register - even if we find a match we want people to keep doing it.

"She's fine in herself but we're noticing she gets really tired at times. We've just got to keep going."

To join the bone marrow register, click here.