A partner in the London office of Ropes & Gray has launched an urgent appeal to find a bone marrow transplant to save his five-year-old daughter.

Ruchit Patel recently learned that his daughter, Kaiya, has a rare form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is extremely aggressive, and Kaiya’s best hope is an immediate bone marrow transplant.

Patel and his family have set up the Cure Kaiya campaign to help locate a donor. As well as manning a stall in Canary Wharf and setting up stands in shops, they have been posting updates on social media. Here's an extract from last week's facebook post:

"Kaiya has been dealing with the chemo okay this week- she is a very strong girl but the drugs and procedures still take their toll. Her drugs mean that she suffers from nightmares and has been crying inconsolably in the middle of the night. The hair loss and weight gain means she’s developed a complex about the way she looks. She asks us why none of this is happening to her friends and only her. It’s a difficult question to answer.

Kaiya misses her friends and longs for normality - to spend a full day at school (she realised staying at home is not as fun as school!), to have the energy she used to have to dance and run. She wishes she could go swimming with her sister and cousins. And wants to go down the slide in the playground".

 

    The Patels. 


Patel needs people to register with DKMS, a nonprofit which can help identify matching donors for Kaiya, as well as other people suffering from blood cancer. Joiners who meet the age and health requirements will receive a kit in the mail which they use to swab their cheeks, and then return to DKMS. There is a 1% chance of matching up with a patient. You can register here.

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Comments

Anonymous 07 June 18 23:15

Best of luck, Ruchit and family. I registered with DKMS a few months ago and can attest that it’s straightforward and painless to help. I really hope this campaign is successful and you’re able to find help for Kaiya.

Anonymous 08 June 18 08:32

Done. Pretty confident I won't be alone in that, so, if nothing else, Ruchit and family will have significantly boosted the chances of people finding a match - here's hoping Kaiya is one of them.

Anonymous 08 June 18 09:27

Registered. Pleased to have been able to do so, as I'm too old to register with Anthony Nolan.

Anonymous 08 June 18 09:51

Just picking up on another comment - Anthony Nolan won't let you register if you're over 30, but DKMS will take you if you're under 55.

If you're a match then 90% of the time a donation is just stem cells. It's like giving blood (although it takes longer) and there's no surgery involved. You sit in a chair for a few hours and you literally save a child's life.

Anonymous 08 June 18 10:28

I was concerned that this might divert from the NHS etc, but having researched it the NHS website says they, Anthony Nolan and DKMS anonymously share data to ensure all matches are caught. Joining any of the three is equally effective.

Anonymous 08 June 18 10:46

@ anon 9:28, of course, we wouldn't want to remotely inconvenience "THE ENVY OF THE WORLD" for the sake of saving lives. Honestly, the way people put the NHS on a pedestal is exactly the reason why it is in so much trouble... The main point is that Kaiya makes a full recovery.

Anonymous 08 June 18 11:01

Although a regular blood donor, I am too old to participate.
Best wishes to Ruchit and his family.

Anonymous 08 June 18 11:39

@9:46 if you were a slightly better critical thinker, you'd realise the post was to allay any concern people might have that donating to this single organisation would limit the chances of them finding a useful match, and accordingly was intended to encourage people to donate. And no, the main point is not that this particularly sympathetic individual from our professional 'tribe' gets better and screw everyone else, the main point is to ensure that ALL people suffering from this condition have the maximum chance of finding a suitable donor, duh.

Anonymous 08 June 18 12:16

I have tried but can't register due to medical conditions which is disappointing but I'm glad to see others have.

Anonymous 08 June 18 16:54

For all those who do register please make sure you send the swabs back asap to ensure you can be checked to be Kaiya's donor

Anonymous 14 June 18 11:52

A terrible reminder of how cruel life can be, but what a wonderful, pro-active call to arms from Ruchit and his family: to help (hopefully) his little girl, but also potentially thousands of others facing the same fate.

I have just registered and will do the swab test and return it as soon as possible after receipt. Ruchit if you are reading this, I would like to extend my very best wishes and am praying for a positive outcome for you and your family x

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