Aplastic anemia is a serious disorder that can sometimes manifest suddenly leaving the body unable to produce a sufficient supply of blood cells. It’s become the main concern for 17-year-old Archer Franklin and his family. Archer is an active youth from Kelvington and a member of the Humboldt Broncos U18 AA hockey club. 

The disorder sees the body’s bone marrow compromised. While Archer is currently undergoing treatment with drugs and blood transfusions, the best chance for recovery is through stem cell treatment and a bone marrow transplant. However, the process of finding a match for donation is an arduous one. Unlike a blood transfusion where donor options are numerous, the stem cell match is based on genetic markers from the parents. The chance of finding a suitable match and a potential donor is 1 in 900. 

That’s why Canadian Blood Services, in concert with local volunteers and organizations, are hoping to find a match through a trio of stem cell donor drives happening throughout the region. The first one will be in Kelvington this Friday, July 21 from 3:00 – 7:00 pm. Another is set for Humboldt’s Bella Vista Inn on August 11 from 3:00 – 8:00 pm. The date and exact location for a third planned for Tisdale will be announced. 

Archer’s mother, Karri Franklin, told Global News that doctors believe a spike in Archer’s immune system activity resulted in an attack on his bone marrow itself. The closest family match is a half-match with Archer’s brother, and that’s set the search for the elusive match in motion. 

Verna Chow is the community manager (western Canada) for the stem cell department with Canadian Blood Services. She explains the challenges in finding that match and the process in screening that potential donors will go through.  

“We go out into communities and ask people to join our registry. We ask them to do a very simple cheek swab – it's four Q-tips that go into your mouth and you scrub away as though brushing your teeth. You put the sample into an envelope and mail it off to Canadian Blood Services labs to see if you happen to be a match.” 

The labs will search for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers that indicate a match through the Canadian Blood Services registry. If a match is located through the screening process, Canadian Blood Services arrange for a follow up blood sample to be taken. If the match is confirmed, then the process for a stem cell donation can be initiated. Chow says it’s a matter of taking the cells from peripheral blood. For the donor, it’s like an “extended time” blood donation where the cells are spun out on site. The blood is returned to the donor as part of the procedure.  

For a bone marrow donation, the donor’s process is about 45 – 90 minutes under general anesthesia where the donor is frequently released the same day.  

“Only 50 percent of people who are suffering from the 80 different conditions we can cure with stem cells will find their match. Obviously, the best way to reduce the number of people who are waiting is to increase the number of people on the registry to increase the chances of a match.” 

In the immediate case, the focus is on Archer Franklin, in an effort to return him to health and the active life he loves. In the bigger picture, showing up to the stem cell drives could be a life saver for someone else in a different part of the country. If you can’t attend any of the drives, you can receive a kit to do the simple screening yourself and mail the sample in for analysis. All the details are on the Canadian Blood Services website.