Boy beats phobia to save life of sick sister

Published on Saturday 7 November 2009 19:02

A SCHOOLBOY has overcome his phobia of needles to give his older sister a lifesaving bone marrow transplant.

Jack Hutchinson, aged nine, has been singing Beatles hit Help! to get him through the blood tests for next month's operation to help his teenage sister.

Shannon, 13, first became ill last year and, while her parents initially feared meningitis, she was eventually diagnosed with rare aplastic anaemia.

She was warned that without a transplant she could have just six months to live.

Parents Tony and Georgina Hutchinson, of Ely, Cardiff, were desperate to find a donor until Jack, who had resisted having tests to see if he was a match because of his phobia, suddenly volunteered.

Mr Hutchinson said: "He had a bad experience when he was four and had his adenoids out and they couldn't get anywhere near him with a needle. He's got a real phobia: he would sweat, shake and cry. It's hard enough for an adult to overcome a phobia, so for a nine-year-old boy it's amazing.

"I think he overheard me and my wife having a conversation about having no luck getting a donor, because he came into the room and asked me if Shannon was going to die. The next morning he woke up and said he wanted to do it."

Tests showed Jack was a perfect match for Shannon's bone marrow.

Mr Hutchinson said counselling to help Jack get over his fear did not appear to work, but added: "Suddenly he just did it off his own back and it made me so proud."

"We were at the hospital yesterday and the doctor asked Jack how he felt about the operation and he said: 'I love my sister. I'm glad I'm helping her'."