Could Fife hold key to toddler Adeline’s search to find a perfect stem cell donor?

Family urgently seeking a match to save the life of their little girl

The family of a toddler with a rare blood disorder has launched a search to find a matching donor to save the little girl’s life.

Earlier this year brave two-year-old Adeline Davidson was found to have a condition so rare that doctors cannot even give it a diagnosis.

Despite the pain and discomfort, the youngster has to endure a weekly blood transfusion just to keep her alive.

However, the treatments are not a cure and the family is desperately trying to find that perfect match to be a stem cell donor.

The youngster’s great aunt, Linda Thomson, who lives in Leslie, Fife, said finding a match was like looking for a needle in a haystack but they lived in hope of finding the right donor.

“Fife might just have the right person, we just need to find them,” she said.

“However, if we can’t find a perfect match we’ll have to consider a lesser one but that opens up the possibility of illness that could be disastrous for Adeline.”

Answering the Ross-shire family’s plea this week, dozens of people in Fife – including mums, builders, pensioners and even six local police officers – stepped up to take the test to see if they could be little Adeline’s saviour.

“All we want is to find a match for Adeline,” said her mum, Steph Davies.

“It’s just been a huge waiting game since we found out she was poorly to wait for this 10 out of 10 match.

“I hope one day soon we can find one and I can thank them.

“It just means everything – it’s Adeline’s life.”

Doctors have told the family the toddler’s condition is so rare that there are statistically only around three people in the UK and a handful around the world that would present a perfect match.

As part of the campaign, a coffee morning and drop- in event was organised by Catherine Sala-Murray who runs Kats Mission, a charity fundraising organisation based in Kinglassie.

She is hoping to recruit 200 local people to take the test.

“Hearing about the little girl’s plight just struck a chord – I knew we had to do something to help,” Catherine said.

“We got hold of 200 swab kits and have been appealing for the public to come forward.

“The response has been great so far but we can still do more.

“Fingers crossed we can find that one person that will make the difference.”

Supporters are urging healthy Fifers between the age of 17–55 to visit Kats Mission, 22 High Street, Kinglassie, where they can take the simple test.

The family of Adeline Davidson, 2, who has a very rare blood disorder, have appealed for people to come forward to be tested to see if they are a perfect match.