10 years old, Dushyant Mehta who saved his older sister Devaanshi's life when he was 2, by donating his bone marrow, now needs a match to save his own life.
His donation gave hissister an extra five and a half years of life, after she was diagnosed with bone marrow failure but in 2010 Devaanshi's lungs collapsed and were left so badly damaged that she was told her illness was incurable.
She continued to organise fundraising events and to inspire Asian people to become donors, as they are underrepresented on the Anthony Nolan register, but later died in June 2012 at the age of just 15.
Now only two years later, younger brother Dushyant developed a series of colds that he could not shake off and became increasingly breathless. Recognising these symptoms as similar to those suffered by her daughter, his mother Kalyani Mehta contacted Great Ormond Street hospital who organised testing. Doctors found that he is also suffering from bone marrow failure and will need a bone marrow transplant.
His mother, from Manor Road, Harrow, said: “We desperately need a donor for Dushyant and we now know there is not currently anyone on any of the world’s registers who is a match for him. However, it is also really important to us to help other people who are looking for donors.
“The only thing we have is hope and more donors on the register mean more hope for all patients in need of a transplant.”
As Dushyant is of Indian origin, it will make it more difficult to find him a donor so his family are appealing for more people to join the Anthony Nolan bone marrow donor register.
