An Aussie man’s chance of finding a life-saving stem cell match may be slipping away, with swab testing for potential donors suspended nationwide.
Brisbane’s Rowan Tong-Law was diagnosed with cancer during what he thought was a routine check-up.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Stem cell donor search suspended for cancer patient
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“The doctor said, ‘oh, we’ve just checked these bloods, you’ve got cancer’,” his mother Bronwyn Tong recalled.
When chemotherapy couldn’t cure it, the search began for a suitable stem cell donor. But there’s a problem — there is no match at the moment.
The chances of finding one are just one in 44 million, due to Tong-Law’s mixed English, Scottish and Chinese heritage.
“They would need to be of our similar background,” his father Robert Law explained.
In a remarkable turn of events, a 7NEWS viewer saw their story and stepped forward to help.
“I saw your son’s appeal for a stem cell donor on Channel 7,” the 17-year-old wrote. “I’m also English, Scottish and Chinese descent, and would be very happy to donate stem cells to help your son.”
But any hope was short-lived. The teenager’s swab couldn’t be processed, with donor recruitment and testing suspended across the country.
“The whole sector is in limbo,” advocate Rochelle Akhavan said. “Stem Cell Donors Australia can no longer continue with their activities and commit to events.”
The organisation’s contract ended in June. A replacement was expected by August, but months later, there’s still no decision on a new register operator.
“That’s appalling,” Tong said. “People will die from this.”
Lifeblood remains the only alternative pathway onto the stem cell register, but it’s restricted to blood donors aged 18 and over.
The Commonwealth insists the tender process is unrelated to the suspension of swab testing.
“If it means — as states — we have to go and rattle the cage to get some common sense from Canberra, of course we should,” Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said.
For Tong-Law’s family, the delay is devastating.
“When you have a sick child, time is everything,” Tong said.
