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'Last hope': Boy, 6, with rare disorder fights for life after critical bone marrow transplant left on tarmac at US airport

Mateoh Eggleton's mother claimed that the bone marrow transplant was the ‘last hope’ for her six-year-old son
UPDATED FEB 23, 2023
Mateoh Eggleton is fighting for his life  (Facebook/7News)
Mateoh Eggleton is fighting for his life (Facebook/7News)

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: A six-year-old boy suffering from a genetic disorder has reportedly been left in danger after his bone marrow transplant was mistakenly left on the tarmac at a US airport. Mateoh Eggleton, from the Gold Coast, was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019, which made his white blood cells unable to defend against certain types of bacteria.

Mateoh underwent a successful transplant for the disease in 2020, but the treatment tragically resulted in him being diagnosed with the hemolytic uraemic syndrome, another rare disorder that can lead to kidney failure. His mother Shalyn Eggleton claimed that the bone marrow transplant was the ‘last hope’ for her six-year-old son, and she finally found a donor in the US after desperately searching for a matching transplant for months, according to DailyMail.

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The transplant was scheduled to be placed onto a flight bound for Brisbane from the US, but Queensland Children's Hospital employees informed Shalyn that the transplant never arrived. "The biggest thing to understand is how could something like a big medical protocol and procedure be left behind at an airport when it should technically be supervised 24/7?" Shalyn told 'The Today Show' as reported by 9News.

Mateoh Eggleton, from the Gold Coast, was diagnosed with the chronic granulomatous disease in 2019, which made his white blood cells unable to defend against certain types of bacteria. (Shalyn Eggleton/Facebook)
Mateoh Eggleton, from the Gold Coast, was diagnosed with chronic granulomatous disease in 2019, which made his white blood cells unable to defend against certain types of bacteria(Facebook/Shalyn Eggleton)

‘He's fought three-and-a-half-years'

"We haven't received any reasons why (this happened), nothing pretty much. I'm going to be doing all that digging myself because it's unacceptable. He's fought three-and-a-half years as it is for his life and for someone to be so neglectful and naive when it comes to such a thing like this," Shalyn said, adding, "This is what he's been waiting for and someone's just left it behind."

However, a spokesperson for the Queensland Children's Hospital told Daily Mail Australia the transplant is finally traveling to Australia. "Mateoh has been a long-term patient at the Queensland Children's Hospital and his care team understands and shares the family's disappointment at this unforeseen delay in the delivery of his donor cells," they said. "Mateoh's donor cells are currently in transit to Australia and their delayed arrival will not adversely impact Mateoh's care."

Ed Sheeran paid a visit to Mateoh Eggleton earlier this month, (Shalyn Eggleton/Facebook)
Ed Sheeran paid a visit to Mateoh Eggleton earlier this month (Facebook/Shalyn Eggleton)

'It's a lot for us'

This good news came as Shayln revealed that Mateoh has undergone nine different types of treatment within the past 18 months. "Through the last 18 months, we trialed nine different things," the desperate mother said. "Like plasma, different haem therapy drugs, adult chemotherapy drugs, but nothing has worked. We were told at the end of last year I have to make the decision whether to do the transplant or not, knowing that it's our last option. And looking at how well he is (there was) no way I could stop treatment. It's a lot for us."

Shalyn Eggleton claimed it is ‘hell’ to see her son struggling for more than three years. (Shalyn Eggleton/Facebook)
Shalyn Eggleton claimed it is ‘hell’ to see her son struggling for more than three years (Facebook/Shalyn Eggleton)

The mother also asserted that Mateoh is still on chemotherapy as medical experts wait for the transplant. "That's how we prolong it at the moment, chemo," she said. "All the blood we've been giving him, he has a significant iron overload.” She claimed it is ‘hell’ to see her son struggling for more than three years, "You don't imagine your kid being sick, not for three-and-a-half years going through all this, trialing transplants and adult chemotherapy drugs," she said. "In this world, we live in it's like why won't anything work on him, it's frustrating. You've got to hold up, it's part of being a mum," she added.

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