The four brothers that need a transplant

A couple are desperately appealing for donors after being told that all four of their sons need life-saving bone marrow transplants.

David and Allison Hartley were distraught when told Joshua, 12, Nathan, 10, Daniel, eight, and Luke, four, all suffer from one of the world's rarest deadly diseases.

The boys have X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP), also known as Duncan's Syndrome.

Although hereditary, not all carriers are affected but 70 per cent of sufferers die before their 10th birthday.

Only 100 families in the world have been diagnosed with the disease, which attacks the immune system.

Full transplants would give the children normal life expectancy but only one in 1,000 people have bone marrow that matches that of the brothers-The family, from Romsey, Hampshire, fear time may run out before donors are found.

Mr Hartley said: "Coming to terms with it has been very difficult, especially the fact that it's all four. There have been many tears shed. The thing which keeps us going is our wonderful lads."

The Hartleys learned just before Christmas that their sons had XLP, which only affects boys.

Mrs Hartley said: "We were really shell-shocked but when we did research we realised that if the boys had transplants they could grow and live normally."

Mrs Hartley learned last week that she was a potential match for Joshua and doctors are waiting to see if she has the right type of antibodies for her bone marrow to be used.

Doctors are looking for a closer match but Mr Hartley added: "If that does not happen they will use Allison's."

Joshua goes to Southampton General Hospital for treatmentin preparation for a transplant. The process could take months, and then it will be Nathan's turn.

With the Anthony Nolan Trust - which has a register of 350,000 potential bone marrow donors but also a waiting list of 7,000 patients - the family is organising an open day at a bookshop in Romsey where potential donors can see if they are a match. Those interested should call 0901 88 22 234 or visit the trust's website. Calls cost 25p a minute.

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