Inspiration Charlie, 6, loses his fight with leukaemia

Published on Tuesday 2 June 2009 10:16

A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy who inspired scores of people to donate bone marrow has lost his battle with leukaemia.

Charlie Pearson had a rare form of the illness, which only surfaces twice a year in the UK, and passed away last week.

He fronted an Evening News campaign over Christmas to encourage more people to join the bone marrow register, with nearly 100 people subsequently putting their name to the list in the Lothians.

After a lengthy wait a match was found for the Tranent youngster, but the transplant was not a success and he died on May 19.

Allan Johnston, the regional fundraising manager for The Anthony Nolan Trust – the charity which matches bone marrow donors with those in need of a transplant – said Charlie and his family were inspirations to those who signed up.

"Everyone at The Anthony Nolan Trust is incredibly saddened to hear that Charlie has died and our thoughts are with his family," he said.

"At the trust the urgent need for more bone marrow donors continues.

"We need to save more lives and we will forever be indebted to Charlie and his family for their powerful part in this struggle.

"It is difficult to understand what Charlie and his family went through to make his appeal public.

"All I can do is thank him for the legacy he has left.

"His appeal inspired people to join the bone marrow register and to donate funds to the charity. The work of Charlie and his family brought fresh hope to other leukaemia sufferers."

His parents Pamela, 35 and John, 43, spent months waiting by the phone in the hope that a bone marrow match – his only hope of survival – would be found.

He already suffered from bone marrow dysplasia when doctors told the Pearsons in September that he had juvenile acute myeloyd leukaemia.

Two visits a day to the Sick Kids hospital became necessary for him, and the parents – along with younger brother Louis – always knew a transplant wouldn't necessarily work given the severity of his condition.

Mr Johnston added: "What he has done is to raise awareness of the fact that there is a way for people to give a precious gift of life and be a bone marrow donor.

"Many now realise how comparatively easy it is to help patients with leukaemia.

"Unfortunately, his struggle is lost, but through him the battle will be won for others."

Charlie's family were too upset to speak when approached by the Evening News.

YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR BONES TO SAVE A LIFE

PEOPLE can help save lives by joining the Anthony Nolan Trust register of bone marrow donors.

Around 70 per cent of leukaemia sufferers need a donation of bone marrow from an unrelated donor. Every year the trust receives more than 16,000 patient search requests from transplant centres around the world.

Anyone aged 18 to 40 and in good health can apply to join the register. The charity regularly holds donor recruitment clinics all around the country. For more information call 020 7284 1234 or visit www.anthonynolan.org.uk.