McCandless family to host bone marrow registration drive for 8-month-old daughter
MCCANDLESS, Pa. (KDKA) — A McCandless family is boosting efforts to find a bone marrow donor for their 8-month-old daughter.
They're holding a registration drive in Ross Township this weekend in hopes someone may have the stem cells that can save their baby's life.
When you hear Clementine Blackham giggle and see her precious face, you would think she's like any other baby.
"You'd look at her and think that I was lying. I look at her and think that I'm lying," her mother, Tanner, said.
Clementine is battling an extremely rare gene mutation, called the TLR8 gene, recently discovered in 2021.
"It's your worst nightmare," Tanner said.
Tanner and her husband, Tim, said the mutation will cause their daughter to go into bone marrow failure because her body doesn't produce red blood cells.
Clementine is the only female and one of only nine other children to be diagnosed. She's also one of two children to have it in every cell of their body.
"Unfortunately, over half of those children have passed away since the diagnosis or before diagnosis," Tanner said.
Right now, Clementine gets blood transfusions to keep her alive, but they can only do so much. Her only hope is a bone marrow transplant. It's not a cure, but her best chance at surviving.
"Our doctors tell us that this is uncharted territory and they are going into it with the best knowledge that they have, but they only know as much as they know," Tanner said.
The family is holding a donor registration Sunday at The Block Northway in Ross Township, with the help of the non-profit organization DKMS, where you can get swabbed for the gene. There will also be vendors, live music, fire trucks, face painting and Disney princesses.
"Could you be Clementine's perfect match? Yes. But could you be the 1000s of other kids that need a bone marrow transplant? Yes," Tanner said.
No matter what happens, they're doing all they can for their daughter and other families fighting the same battle.
"We will not stop until she has her match," Tanner said.
If you want to go to the drive, it's happening at The Block Northway outside the area by DSW and Lands' End and inside the lobby between the two stores. The event is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Anyone who is in good health between the ages of 18 to 55 is eligible.
They'll also be raising money for medical and living expenses for when Clementine hopefully has that transplant. They would have to relocate to St. Louis, Missouri, for six months to a year while their 3-year-old daughter remains in McCandless with family.
If you can't make it to the drive, you can also register here.
