ORLANDO, Fla. \u2013 A race against time is underway to save the life of 18-year-old Gigi Felix, who is battling an aggressive form of sickle cell disease.<\/p>\n
Doctors say she urgently needs 50 units of extremely rare, specially matched blood before they can safely move forward with a bone marrow transplant\u2014her best chance at a cure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just asking for your help, because I really do need it,\u201d Gigi said.<\/p>\n
Doctors say the challenge isn\u2019t just finding O-negative blood\u2014it\u2019s finding blood that matches Gigi\u2019s antigen profile, the genetic markers found on red blood cells.<\/p>\n
Because Gigi has received countless transfusions over her lifetime, her body has developed antibodies, making most donor blood incompatible.<\/p>\n
Gigi\u2019s required antigen profile is most commonly found in people of African descent.<\/p>\n
Statistically, doctors say only 1 in 1,000 people of African descent may be a match.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need the African American and Afro-Caribbean community to step up to help save Gigi\u2019s life,\u201d said Dr. David Crawford, a pediatric hematologist\/oncologist.<\/p>\n
OneBlood\u2019s reference laboratory is screening donations 24\/7 to identify compatible units and reserve them specifically for Gigi. Some matching units have already been found\u2014but doctors say they still need many more to reach 50.<\/p>\n
Without enough compatible blood on hand, doctors say the transplant is too risky to perform.<\/p>\n
OneBlood\u2019s reference laboratory is screening donations 24\/7 to identify compatible units and reserve them specifically for Gigi. Some matching units have already been found\u2014but doctors say they still need many more to reach 50.<\/p>\n
Without enough compatible blood on hand, doctors say the transplant is too risky to perform.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me it just seems like my last golden ticket,\u201d Gigi said.<\/p>\n
Doctors and OneBlood urge people of African descent to donate as soon as possible\u2014even if they don\u2019t know their blood type.<\/p>\n
To be a match for Gigi, donors must:<\/p>\n
Be\u00a0African American or of African descent<\/p>\n
Be\u00a0O-negative\u00a0(only about\u00a07%\u00a0of the population is O-negative)<\/p>\n