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Donor plea leukaemia child dies | Donor plea leukaemia child dies |
(about 2 hours later) | |
An eight-year-old boy from Sussex who needed a rare bone marrow transplant has died from leukaemia. | An eight-year-old boy from Sussex who needed a rare bone marrow transplant has died from leukaemia. |
Keiton Knight, from Hove, was of mixed race, so finding a suitable donor had proved difficult despite a high profile campaign led by his family last year. | Keiton Knight, from Hove, was of mixed race, so finding a suitable donor had proved difficult despite a high profile campaign led by his family last year. |
He had been battling the disease since 2003 and died peacefully at home with his mother and grandmother by his side. | He had been battling the disease since 2003 and died peacefully at home with his mother and grandmother by his side. |
Last year, his family tried to find a donor match at the Notting Hill Carnival in London and held a concert. | Last year, his family tried to find a donor match at the Notting Hill Carnival in London and held a concert. |
During his short life, Keiton had to endure bouts of chemotherapy, and was also paralysed from the waist down at one point. | |
There was somebody out there who was right for Keiton but we just didn't reach them in time Warren Knight | |
His death was announced on Friday by the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. | His death was announced on Friday by the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust. |
A tribute on its website described Keiton as "an incredibly bubbly, smiley and energetic child with a beautiful, cheeky smile" who touched many hearts. | |
"A true little soldier that, despite a painful illness, was always full of smiles, laughter and remarkable courage. | |
"He was aware of how cancer was affecting his life but he remained strong and hardly ever complained." | |
It added that his life was to be celebrated, not mourned. | |
Shortage of donors | |
As well as looking for potential mixed race donors at the carnival, relatives also arranged other searches, which included enlisting the support of pop stars and footballers. | |
Last October his family launched a campaign to raise £500,000 for stem cell treatment. | |
His uncle, Warren Knight, said: "There was somebody out there who was right for Keiton but we just didn't reach them in time. | |
"With Keiton's passing, we just hope people will realise the severity of the shortage of donors out there." | |
It was thought Keiton had overcome acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after being diagnosed in June 2003. | |
But during the last month of his treatment it emerged that his leukaemia had transformed into a different type of blood cancer in a process doctors had seen only once or twice before. | |
He had a rare tissue type because he had a white mother and a black father. |
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