William Rhodes  Our son William was born on 12 December 2008, he has a very rare bone marrow disorder which results in the inability to produce red blood cells which are necessary to transport oxygen around the body – this rare disorder is known as ‘DIAMOND BLACKFAN ANEMIA (DBA)’.
The condition is extremely rare, affecting only 125 (approx) people in the UK and only 600 to 700 world-wide. It requires intensive therapy, and has no known cure. There are currently two main treatment types for DBA, Steroid Therapy and Transfusion Therapy. Both are life-long treatments. At the moment William is blood transfusion dependent and has relied on blood transfusions every four to five weeks since birth. These blood transfusions keep William alive. The condition is named after the 2 doctors who first documented cases in the 1930's. Dr. Louis Diamond (the founder of the Haematology/Oncology branch at Children's Hospital in Boston, USA) and Dr. Kenneth D. Blackfan (the Chief of the Paediatric Department). We would really like to raise awareness of this rare disorder and also the importance of giving blood. Many thanks Ben & Caroline Rhodes |