After a months-long search, a stem cell transplant has been found for an 11-year-old girl with a rare blood disease that prevents her body from producing enough healthy blood cells.
Last year, Cierra Singh was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of bone marrow cancer. It was a particularly difficult task to find a donor for Singh because Canadian Blood Services says there's currently a special need for South Asian donors between 17 and 35 years old.
But when Singh's doctor recently told her a match had been found, she could barely contain her excitement.
"I was so shocked I didn't even believe her," she told CTV Toronto's Carol Charles.
"So, I kept my mouth shut, but in my head I was like: 'Wow, what we do now.'"
Her quest to find a donor began in June, when she was told by doctors she required a transplant as soon as possible.
The family looked to Blood Services Canada for help. They organized several clinics, fundraisers, and special events in hopes of finding a suitable donor.
"All we’ve been told is how difficult it is to find a match for people – especially of our background," said Singh's mother Kiran Benet.
"I was one of those people waiting every day, every day," added Singh.
Singh will undergo chemotherapy at Sick Kids Hospital this week, and she will receive her stem cell transplant on Dec. 10.
