For those who couldn’t read Addisons Story or want to share it…💖
5yo Addison Kemp’s global search to find bone marrow donor match for aplastic anemia.
In a race against time, a young bayside family is scouring the globe for a bone marrow donor to save their daughter, after unexplained bruises they thought may have been caused by school bullying were actually a clue to a rare and aggressive condition.
A young Bayside family is searching the globe to find a match for their little girl’s bone marrow transplant after her mother’s inkling saved her life.
Five-year-old Addison Kemp is a race against time to find a bone marrow donor to overcome rare severe Aplastic Anemia, which was uncovered after her mother’s concerns about a multitude of bruising the little girl was experiencing.
Her mother Bianca Kemp said her daughter had started her first year of school, enjoying regular swimming and dance classes before she noticed a strange change in her daughter less than two months ago.
Mrs Kemp said she first noticed something wasn’t right with her normally vibrant and energetic daughter at the end of February 2024.
Bruising was appearing all over Addison’s body and her parents initially wondered if she was experiencing bullying at school.
“When we first saw the bruises on her we thought it was normal as she is a very clumsy child who loves to play outside and run around,” Mrs Kemp said.
One week passed and I noticed the bruises had become darker and were covering more of her body which caused me concern.
“Her wrist looked like someone had twisted it, her body was covered in hand marks and her neck was bruised badly too,” she said.
Mrs Kemp said she visited Addison’s school which came up with a plan to watch her carefully during playtime.
Mrs Kemp visited her general practitioner and demanded urgent blood tests for Addison as her bruises had dramatically worsened.
“I thought she may have been iron deficient,”
The next day doctors told Mrs Kemp to drive Addison to the Queensland Children’s Hospital immediately, after her blood test results were received on March 22, 2024.
Mrs Kemp was told Addison’s blood results reflected similar to that of a leukaemia patient.
The mother said the prospect struck fear through her but she was determined not to fixate on it until she had answers.
“I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole it’s dangerous.”
Instead, however she was diagnosed with very severe Aplastic Anemia which occurs when the bone marrow fails to make enough red and white blood cells and platelets.
The condition is rare with only 40 children world wide diagnosed each year.
She could have been dead by that weekend if she hadn’t had her bloods taken, I saved her life,” Mrs Kemp said.
“We were told her blood test showed opposite results to her previous ones, it had all happened in one fortnight.
“She had less than five per cent of her bone marrow,” she said.
Since her first admission to hospital Addison had received fortnightly blood transfusions.
Mrs Kemp said finding a bone marrow donor from someone is their only hope of keeping Addison alive.
The pressure ramped up after the family found out the girl’s two-year-old sister Crimson was “devastatingly” not a match.
“So she when we find one they will be a non-related donor.”
The desperation is coupled with the fact the treatment Addison is receiving has an unknown expiration date, when her body could begin to reject it.
“The blood transfusions are a temporary solution, at any time her body could start rejecting them,” Mrs Kemp said.
The family is strapping themselves in for an uphill battle which could last more than two years before Addison is healthy again.
Mrs Kemp said if doctors were successful in finding a match for Addison, there was still the daunting chance the transplant wouldn’t work.
“It takes a few weeks to find if there a similar matches out there and then that donor has to undergo testing to check if they are fit to donate,” Mrs Kemp said.
“Before the operation Addison will undergo two weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to prepare her.
“They will then continue to inject her with stem cells and further blood transfusions until the bone marrow starts to work, which can take up to 12 months,” she said.
The family have started a GoFundMe to support the fight for their daughter.
“As Addison embarks on her journey this will leave only one working parent at home with her little sister Crimson and another at the hospital with Addison,” it says.
If you can donate to Addison’s fundraiser, please click here. https://gofund.me/328ea2c6
Mrs Kemp said she encouraged other parents to look for many different types of symptoms when their child presents unwell.
“It’s not always black and white, you have to work all angles as you know you child best,” Mrs Kemp said.
“It’s good to go to a doctor so you have their condition on record and you can go back to that to compare.
“Don’t ever feel like you’re stupid asking for too much, you have every right to ask for everything.” she said.
Mrs Kemp said she would like to thank the children’s hospital for their ongoing support and guidance through this unimaginable time.
“That hospital is epic, every specialist, doctor and nurse has been so kind and encouraging to us,” Mrs Kemp said.
“In every corner they ask if I know Ryan’s Rule and understand that every child presents differently,” she said.
Written by Molly Snaylam - The Courier Mail
For those who couldn’t read Addisons Story or want to share it…💖
5yo Addison Kemp’s global search to find bone marrow donor match for aplastic anemia.
In a race against time, a young bayside family is scouring the globe for a bone marrow donor to save their daughter, after unexplained bruises they thought may have been caused by school bullying were actually a clue to a rare and aggressive condition.
A young Bayside family is searching the globe to find a match for their little girl’s bone marrow transplant after her mother’s inkling saved her life.
Five-year-old Addison Kemp is a race against time to find a bone marrow donor to overcome rare severe Aplastic Anemia, which was uncovered after her mother’s concerns about a multitude of bruising the little girl was experiencing.
Her mother Bianca Kemp said her daughter had started her first year of school, enjoying regular swimming and dance classes before she noticed a strange change in her daughter less than two months ago.
Mrs Kemp said she first noticed something wasn’t right with her normally vibrant and energetic daughter at the end of February 2024.
Bruising was appearing all over Addison’s body and her parents initially wondered if she was experiencing bullying at school.
“When we first saw the bruises on her we thought it was normal as she is a very clumsy child who loves to play outside and run around,” Mrs Kemp said.
One week passed and I noticed the bruises had become darker and were covering more of her body which caused me concern.
“Her wrist looked like someone had twisted it, her body was covered in hand marks and her neck was bruised badly too,” she said.
Mrs Kemp said she visited Addison’s school which came up with a plan to watch her carefully during playtime.
Mrs Kemp visited her general practitioner and demanded urgent blood tests for Addison as her bruises had dramatically worsened.
“I thought she may have been iron deficient,”
The next day doctors told Mrs Kemp to drive Addison to the Queensland Children’s Hospital immediately, after her blood test results were received on March 22, 2024.
Mrs Kemp was told Addison’s blood results reflected similar to that of a leukaemia patient.
The mother said the prospect struck fear through her but she was determined not to fixate on it until she had answers.
“I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole it’s dangerous.”
Instead, however she was diagnosed with very severe Aplastic Anemia which occurs when the bone marrow fails to make enough red and white blood cells and platelets.
The condition is rare with only 40 children world wide diagnosed each year.
She could have been dead by that weekend if she hadn’t had her bloods taken, I saved her life,” Mrs Kemp said.
“We were told her blood test showed opposite results to her previous ones, it had all happened in one fortnight.
“She had less than five per cent of her bone marrow,” she said.
Since her first admission to hospital Addison had received fortnightly blood transfusions.
Mrs Kemp said finding a bone marrow donor from someone is their only hope of keeping Addison alive.
The pressure ramped up after the family found out the girl’s two-year-old sister Crimson was “devastatingly” not a match.
“So she when we find one they will be a non-related donor.”
The desperation is coupled with the fact the treatment Addison is receiving has an unknown expiration date, when her body could begin to reject it.
“The blood transfusions are a temporary solution, at any time her body could start rejecting them,” Mrs Kemp said.
The family is strapping themselves in for an uphill battle which could last more than two years before Addison is healthy again.
Mrs Kemp said if doctors were successful in finding a match for Addison, there was still the daunting chance the transplant wouldn’t work.
“It takes a few weeks to find if there a similar matches out there and then that donor has to undergo testing to check if they are fit to donate,” Mrs Kemp said.
“Before the operation Addison will undergo two weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to prepare her.
“They will then continue to inject her with stem cells and further blood transfusions until the bone marrow starts to work, which can take up to 12 months,” she said.
The family have started a GoFundMe to support the fight for their daughter.
“As Addison embarks on her journey this will leave only one working parent at home with her little sister Crimson and another at the hospital with Addison,” it says.
If you can donate to Addison’s fundraiser, please click here. https://gofund.me/328ea2c6
Mrs Kemp said she encouraged other parents to look for many different types of symptoms when their child presents unwell.
“It’s not always black and white, you have to work all angles as you know you child best,” Mrs Kemp said.
“It’s good to go to a doctor so you have their condition on record and you can go back to that to compare.
“Don’t ever feel like you’re stupid asking for too much, you have every right to ask for everything.” she said.
Mrs Kemp said she would like to thank the children’s hospital for their ongoing support and guidance through this unimaginable time.
“That hospital is epic, every specialist, doctor and nurse has been so kind and encouraging to us,” Mrs Kemp said.
“In every corner they ask if I know Ryan’s Rule and understand that every child presents differently,” she said.
Written by Molly Snaylam - The Courier Mail
