B.C. family searches for stem cell donor to save child with rare neurological disease – CBC

Bowin Funk, 7, of Abbotsford needs a bone marrow transplant after diagnosis of adrenoleukodystrophy

Jul 16, 2023

An Abbotsford, B.C., family is racing against time to find a bone marrow donor for their seven-year-old son, Bowin Funk, who has a rare neurological condition.

The boy was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) in December 2019, with his parents Chantel and Jason Funk saying the latest MRI scan on their boy shows signs of minor brain damage.

ALD can lead to serious complications as the disease progresses, which includes lifelong disability and death. It affects myelin, which acts as a sort of “insulator” around nerve fibres in the brain, as well as the spinal cord.

Currently, the only accepted treatment for the disease is a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant — which is accompanied by aggressive treatment within a specific window.

B.C. family searches for stem cell donor to save child with rare neurological disease – CBC

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