Lisburn News

Prayers are answered as Patrick is ready for bone marrow transplant

by MARY MAGEE

Patrick Campbell

CRUMLIN; Prayers have been answered for a brave seven-year-old Crumlin boy who is currently in Bristol Hospital getting ready for a bone marrow transplant.

News was revealed this week through Patrick Campbell's Facebook page - Pray 4 Patrick - that the intense chemotherapy treatment he had been on has worked and his bone marrow transplant will go ahead as early as January 20.

It is a huge step for his family who were unsure whether Patrick, who suffers from Non-Hodgkins T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and has been in England since before Christmas, was well enough to undergo for the transplant.

Doctors revealed to the family on Wednesday that the intense treatment he has been on has got rid of the tumour from Patrick's chest and the tumour in his neck has also gone down considerably.

In his Facebook page it stated, "Because the brave Patrick had coped so well with intense treatment doctors are so proud of him and he is now getting more Nelarabine along with radiation and so he is now ready for bone marrow from today (Friday).

It is hoped that the transplant can go ahead as early as January 20.

"A long long arduous road ahead still but by God are we happy he is being given the chance...so so so happy right now! Thank you all for your prayers... I'm sure you join us all in our happiness...Much love and extreme thanks... "

Patrick has been bravely battling a rare form of the disease for the past two years.

He was diagnosed in 2009 at the age of five and underwent chemotherapy and for a long time responded well to treatment.

However 18 months after he was diagnosed, on his 7th birthday, his family were told his cancer had returned. Doctors have said that it is important he go into remission to be viable for the bone marrow transplant. The bone marrow donor, a girl from Germany, has already been found.

A prayer vigil was held at the Mater Dei Church in Crumlin the day before he and his family flew out to England.

A special Facebook page Pray for Patrick has been set up which has already 2,745 followers.
mary.magee@ulsterstar.co.uk

mary.magee@ulsterstar.co.uk

Ulster Star
13/01/2012