The mother of a toddler with a rare blood condition is urging others in similar positions to get a “ground-breaking” blood matching test so patients can have safer long-term care.
Woody, aged 22 months, was diagnosed with Congenital Dyserythropoietic Anaemia (CDA) Type 1, which affects about one to five out of every million babies, according to rare disease resource Orphanet.
The condition means the DNA in Woody’s red blood cells is disordered and he needs blood transfusions every four weeks to stay alive.
Woody’s mother, Polly, 35, who lives in Robertsbridge, said it was “really frightening” when he was born as he was “poorly, pale and needed ventilation breaths”.