McCandless family finds bone marrow match for baby Clementine
MCCANDLESS, Pa. (KDKA) — The family of a 10-month-old girl in McCandless is celebrating much more than Independence Day.
After months of searching, Clementine Blackham has found a match for the bone marrow transplant she desperately needs. The family held a small party Tuesday at their house to celebrate the good news and say goodbye to their loved ones.
On Sunday, Tanner and Tim Blackham are packing up the car with Clementine and her 3-year-old sister to head to St. Louis. That is where the bone marrow transplant will take place. Clementine will spend more than 100 days at a children's hospital and will undergo extensive testing and chemotherapy.
Clementine has a rare gene mutation that makes her unable to produce red blood cells and fight off infections. Without the transplant, her chances of survival are very unlikely.
Her parents said they kept the faith the whole time and prayed somebody would be a match. And last week, they received a surprise email that changed their lives forever.
"We found out we have a 100 match for Clementine, which means she has a second lease on life," Tim said.
"I had received an email from St. Louis and I thought it was just another paper to sign or fill out," Tanner said. "And all of a sudden, it was like the date for the transplant is Aug. 3 and chemo starts on the 24th, and I was like wait, wait, wait."
The family has no idea who the anonymous donor is or what country they are from. Regardless, the baby's story has touched the hearts of so many. A couple of months ago, more than 450 people signed up and were swabbed for a bone marrow registry in Ross Township.
"They are part of our family now," Tanner said of the donor. "We're grateful and gracious. They have become our superhero."
The family hopes to meet the donor someday. But for the immediate future, they are figuring out where and how they will live once they arrive in St. Louis. They said they have to leave their jobs and will rely on their family and donations for the time being.