Hundreds have offered to donate
bone marrow to an 18-month-old boy named Alex in desperate need.
His parents had launched an appeal online and organized
events across Italy in order to find a match.
"I put myself in the shoes of the little boy and felt the
need to take on this responsibility," said Costanza, a
22-year-old university student lined up with about one hundred
others in Milan to sign up to donate bone marrow.
About 500 people took part in the event held by the ADMO bone
marrow donors association between Wednesday and Thursday.
Regional councillor and volunteer for the association Mirko
Antonioli said that the participation was "extraordinary' and
that "the number of participants increased five-fold compared
with the previous year."
Alex, who was born in London to Italian parents, has a rare
genetic disorder and needs a transplant to survive but no match
has been found yet on international donor registries.
The experimental drug keeping him alive will reportedly work
for the next five weeks but could lose effectiveness after that
time period.
His father Paolo has opened a Facebook page and the parents'
appeal has gone viral to find a donor, who has to be between the
ages of 18 and 35, and in good health.
Potential donors have been urged to contact a hospital or
ADMO.
Events have also been planned in Piazza Sraffa in Milan on
Wednesday and Thursday, Saturday in Naples, in Piazza Trieste
and Trento, and Sunday in Caserta.
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