Yukon family fighting to save baby’s life after rare condition diagnosis
Dotty Erway is now two months old and was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency
Dotty Erway is now two months old and was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency
Dotty Erway is now two months old and was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency
A Yukon family is fighting to save their baby’s life after she was diagnosed with a rare condition at only two weeks old.
Dotty Erway is now two months old and was diagnosed with severe combined immunodeficiency. Doctors said she only has one to two years to live.
The only cure is a bone marrow transplant. Her parents, Bekah and Alex Erway, said even Dotty’s family members weren’t genetically compatible, but they are hopeful of finding a donor.
Due to Dotty’s condition, she was born without an immune system.
"So, she could get like a minor cold which normally you just fight off or wouldn’t really bother you, but for her, it would be life-threatening," Bekah Erwaysaid.
Her parents are keeping her and their other two children isolated at home until they can find a cure.
"We just feel so close to living a normal life. Her siblings have never been able to hold her because of this diagnosis," Bekah Erway said.
They began looking for bone marrow donors through the Be The Match nonprofit, which helps families look for potential donors worldwide.
"Really, within just the first 24 hours of putting out some materials, videos and things on social media, and buying some ads and things like that, we were willing to find 252 people who are willing to become donors – potential donors," Alex Erway said.
They reached people in Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom, but that doesn’t mean they will be a compatible genetic match for Dotty.
"Not just anybody that’s willing to donate will be a strong enough match, because of Dotty’s other conditions and her size and everything, it makes it a little more complicated, so we need a really strong genetic match," Alex Erway said.
They are continuing the search for the most compatible donor here in Oklahoma.
"If they find a donor or a possible two or three donors, then those donors will be contacted by Be The Match, and there’s no out-of-pocket costs for a donor. Be the Match takes care of travel expenses or hotel stays," Bekah Erway said.
They said a donor needs to be between the ages of 18 and 40.
Bekah and Alex will be hosting a swab kit drive this Saturday at Saint Marks Methodist Church in Bethany from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in hopes of giving their baby a longer life.