THROUGH donations and the support of the local non-governmental organisation, Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA), a four-year-old child who was recently diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS), a primary immunodeficiency disorder, will soon receive stem cell treatment.

The child, Nathan Kandhai, recently left Guyana’s shores after funds were raised through SHEA, a medical charity that helps sick children, particularly Guyanese, access medical care overseas.

The organization, in providing an update on the child’s condition, disclosed that a battery of testing was conducted as it was believed that the child had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) based on comprehensive evaluations of his medical history, family background, and diagnostic assessments.

However, the child’s medical team discovered that he does not have AML, but is believed to have Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS).

WAS is a rare genetic immunodeficiency that keeps a child’s immune system from functioning properly. It also makes it difficult for a child’s bone marrow to produce platelets, making a child prone to bleeding.

Genetic testing was also conducted on the child and a rare mutation of the WAS gene was discovered.

His doctors have since planned to reconfirm through a more extensive genetic panel.

Nevertheless, he will receive allogeneic stem cell transplantation, which is the only viable curative option for him.

SHEA further disclosed that alongside the confirmation of his diagnosis, his medical team is preparing Nathan for the bone marrow transplantation procedure.

An important aspect of the process is the selection of a suitable donor which is being done by his medical team in Guyana.

In the coming days, the Guyana-based team will begin testing Nathan’s family members to identify a potential match, the NGO explained.

Once a donor match is identified, the NGO will then work on having that individual travel for the transplant procedure.

When the child was initially diagnosed with AML, a plea for assistance was made to SHEA Charity and his case was accepted.

In August, the child was transferred to a medical facility in New York where he began treatment.