Fundraiser for 8-month-old Clementine Blackham held at Collier Township Chick-fil-A
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- If you don't have lunch plans today, you may want to consider heading to Chick-fil-A in Collier Township, where you can help an 8-month-old in need of a bone marrow transplant.
It's hard to forget sweet Clementine Blackham and all that she's going through.
If you go to the Chick-fil-A in Collier Township on Washington Pike or the location along McKnight Road in Ross Township, buy some food, and mention "Clementine" or "Spirit Night," then the family will receive some of the proceeds!
The Chick-fil-A in Collier Township will also host a bone marrow drive.
Anyone ages 18 to 54 in good health can get swabbed to see if they're a perfect match for Clementine.
She has an extremely rare gene mutation called the TLR8 gene. It will cause Clementine to go into bone marrow failure because her body doesn't produce red blood cells.
"Clementine needs a 100% match, which is very difficult to find because the problem that she has is actually in every single cell of her body so the family has tested and there is no match from the family so we're doing a nationwide search. We have to find someone for Clementine. She needs it," said Lisa Goth, a family friend.
Clementine is the only girl and one of nine other children diagnosed in the world.
Her best chance at surviving is through a bone marrow transplant.
It only takes a couple of minutes to get swabbed. As for the fundraiser, you can help the Blackham family with medical expenses and care.
"Usually Tuesdays are a little bit slower but we've had some good folks come in today, all in the name of Clementine," said Jeremy Patricca, the manager of the Collier Township Chick-fil-A.