Family Pleading For Help To Save 6-Year-Old Boy Who Was Diagnosed With AML

A 6-year-old boy who was diagnosed with an belligerent form of leukemia is fighting for his life. Now, his mother is urging all kind-hearted people with mixed-ethnic backgrounds to come forward as the boy urgently needs a bone marrow transplant to survive.

Joshua Weekes was diagnosed with "aggressive form" of leukemia, called acute myeloid leukemia (AML) two weeks ago. The boy now requires a bone marrow transplant to survive. And to help the boy find the perfect match, his family posted a message to Facebook-- encouraging the people to join the stem cell/bone marrow donor registry, so they can proceed right away with the bone marrow transplant to save the boy.

Joshua's parents have different ethnic backgrounds. Hence, they need someone with mixed-race backgrounds, in particular, Caribbean, English, Icelandic or Filipino. "So we have set out to appeal to anybody and everybody to consider becoming a donor, especially if they share one of those heritages with Joshua," Lia Weekes, Joshua's mom said to NEWS 1130.

The boy already underwent to a round of chemotherapy but he needs to complete two more rounds to eradicate all of the cancer that is within the body of the little boy. The family is now hoping that they can find the perfect candidate, so they can move forward with the bone marrow transplant within the next three months.

"If you have it please give," the mom added. "If you think in a situation like this you could be a match then please come forward because it would mean more to us than you will ever know."

According to leukemia.org., AML is a type of cancer that greatly affects the blood and bone marrow and it frequently occurs more in males than in females. And AML progresses very quickly; hence, treatment needs to begin as soon as possible after being diagnosed with the said disease.