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Lana returns home
Just 42 days after her transplant
Lana returns home. Follow her progress on the
blog on her MySpace page.
click here to visit
Lana's MySpace page
Post transplant Lana on road to
recovery
 
The following is from Lana's mum
from her MySpace page:
"10th Dec Day +33
We got to take Lana outside for the first time post
BMT today. It was just a quick walk round the block
but she had huge eyes looking in wonder at everyone
and everything moving about. It was really cold
today and because she is now a bit baldy and just no
used to the cold at all we wrapped her up in this
huge snow suit - she looked really funny.
Even better news is that they have started the
preparations for us to go home - i know i can't
believe it either. She is just doing so well and our
community nurses (hello lesley) are keen to have us
back so we are going to start doing her medicines
from today (they all went oral from last week) and
hopefully the dieticial will let Lana have bonus or
gravity feeds from today so we may just be well
enough to be home by christmas or if not then by new
year.
Its just so exciting"
click here to visit
Lana's MySpace page
Donor found for Lana
 THERE
was joy today that a bone marrow donor has been
found who could save the life of a gravely-ill baby.
After months of worry, the parents of little Lana
Leeson, who is seven months old today, can dare to
hope at last that there will be a happy ending to
their daughter's fight for life.
Lana was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood
disorder when she was just weeks old.
After enduring months of chemotherapy, the only
thing that could save her was a bone marrow
transplant, and a hunt was launched for a suitable
donor.
The good news ended a tense wait for Lana's mum and
dad Vanessa and Richard, who had feared that every
day without news was another chance for the rare and
deadly hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) to
flare up again.
The search was worldwide, and involved scanning
registers of volunteers who had come forward to give
donations of their marrow in the hope of saving the
lives of strangers.
Doctors were delighted when a million-to-one chance
hit the jackpot, and they realised they had a match.
Today, overwhelmed Vanessa said words weren't enough
to thank the donor.
Now Lana is set to undergo the transplant at Great
Ormond Street Hospital, in London, next month.
Vanessa (27), of New Road, Oundle,
said: "It's such a relief.
"The donor could have been on the register for 15
years, or could have just signed up because they
read Lana's story in the paper.
"It's so important for us and we would like to say a
huge thank-you to them."
Since Lana's plight was featured in The ET, the
family has received an outpouring of support.
Vanessa is keen to raise awareness of the Anthony
Nolan Trust Bone Marrow Register and is urging
people to sign up.
The Leesons' agony began when Lana was just nine
weeks old. At first, medics were baffled by her
symptoms.
But after tests, they pinpointed HLH, which strikes
one in a million babies.
Lana has only recently come home after spending most
of her life in hospital,
and Vanessa, who is on maternity leave from her job
as an accounts manager and also has a son, Ben (2),
admitted feeling apprehensive about what lay ahead.
She said: "It's such a relief, but a bit worrying as
well. We will have to see her really poorly again
before she gets better.
"But getting a donor was life or death for Lana –
she had to have a transplant."
At present the steroids she is being given have
caused Lana's face and legs to balloon up, but
Vanessa said nothing gets her down.
"She's very placid and giggly, the perfect, calm,
smiley baby."
Donor recruitment manager from the Antony Nolan
Trust Debby Jepps, said: "There are so few
opportunities in life where you can help save
someone's life, and if it was your family in need of
a transplant, you would hope there was a match out
there."
GThe
above information is taken from the
www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk on 4th September
2007
ORIGINAL APPEAL APPEARS BELOW
Desperate Pleas to Save the Life
of Lana
 A
HEARTFELT plea has been made for donors to come
forward and save the life of a seriously ill
five-month-old girl. Little Lana Leeson –
described as a brave baby – suffers from rare blood
disease haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)
and desperately needs a bone marrow donor.
Lana has spent most of her short life away from her
Oundle home in hospital being treated for HLH, which
can cause fever, enlargement of the liver and a drop
in the number of normal blood cells in the body.
She is currently into the sixth week of a
chemotherapy programme at Addenbrooke's Hospital in
Cambridge and has only two weeks of the treatment
left.
Doctors have advised the family
she needs a donor as soon as possible – otherwise
there is a strong chance of the HLH re-occurring
when the treatment has finished.
Mum Vanessa Leeson, 27, and dad Richard, of New
Road, have both been tested as possible donors but
neither are ideal matches and the closer the match
the better the chance of success. Mrs Leeson said:
"She doesn't know any different – she's spent most
of her life in hospital – but she does smile and
she's been a lot more bubbly recently.
 "We
really hope people will come forward and have a
test. It's so easy to do, it's quick and it isn't
painful. This is urgent, it's a matter of life and
death."
Lana's aunt Felicity Kemp, 22, of Stamford, is
urging people to take the simple test to see if they
are a match for Lana.
She said: "Lana is a little angel
and she's such a fighter but she needs your help.
"My family will be eternally grateful, especially
Lana, who we hope will one day be able to thank you
herself."
Vanessa, who is on maternity
leave from her job as an accounts manager and also
has a son, Ben (2), said the last 22 weeks had felt
like “forever” but they remained hopeful that a
match would be found.
She said: “The disease is like a chameleon and hides
in different parts of the body and mimics other
diseases.
“It is different in each case. With Lana, it started
in her liver and spleen, then it moved to her
kidney. She had a huge stomach, her blood count
dropped and developed anaemia, which means she can’t
fight infections.
“Her brother has only been able to see her 10 times
because we have to be careful that he doesn’t pass
on any bugs.
“It feel like it’s been forever, but we are
remaining hopeful.”
GThe
above appeal is taken from the Northants Evening
Telegraph
So what are you going to do? You could hold
the key to this little girl's future. And if
not Lana, maybe one of the other patients so
desperate to find a life saving bone marrow donor.
DO SOMETHING SPECIAL - AND DO IT TODAY
click here to find out how you
can register
click here to visit
Lana's MySpace page
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