A Macomb County family is desperately searching for a bone marrow donor for their young son who has no other options to save his life.
This week's Ann Marie's All Star is 6-month-old Elias. The doctors said he wouldn't make it this far, and if he has a shot at a future at all, he needs your help as his all star.
Elias was diagnosed with an incredibly rare immune disorder, and he is only the 22nd person in America to be registered with it.
"He needs just the smallest amount of bone marrow from you to help him live a full life," his mother, Evelyn Argirokastritis, said.
The search for a match began with Elias' sister, moving to extended family, friends, and eventually, the Be The Match registry.
Right now, his mother said there are no registered matches for him in the U.S. or in the international registry.
"It's RSV season, a doctor told us if he were to get this respiratory infection that’s going around- it’s lethal for him – so we’re trying to keep him infection free as much as we can," Argirokastritis said.
His family is hosting "Be The Match" events throughout metro Detroit, searching for that one person who could save this little boy's life.
"I would give him anything and for all of us I feel so helpless and none of us are a match and we can’t do anything," she said. "Us getting his story out there and doing the best we can is us doing something and us helping him fight because we’re unable to give him the gift of life."
The next event is at the Jagged Ford in the Village of Rochester Hills on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
It's an easy test. For donors ages 18-44, a test you can also have shipped to your house.
For more information on the program, click here.
