Family's agony at death of South Shields teenager

Nov 23 2009 By Helen Rae, The Journal

A TEENAGER from the North East has died after coming agonisingly close to a transplant that could have saved his life.

Anthony Leedham, from Harton in South Shields, was due to celebrate his 20th birthday in a few days, but died on Friday as a result of aplastic anaemia – a condition that affects just one in 500,000 people each year.

A match for a bone marrow transplant had been found and Anthony was due to have an operation to cure his condition at the end of October. But the operation was cancelled as his health worsened and doctors decided he was too frail.

The teenager’s devoted family were waiting for his condition to improve so that he could have the transplant, but he never regained his strength.

His mother Michelle, 42, a medical receptionist, barely left her son’s bedside during his illness and was with him to the end.

Last night she said: "I want to thank everybody at the hospital who helped Anthony and all those who sent get well cards and messages of support.

"I’d also like to thank the people who donated blood and those who donate bone marrow, something which could have saved my son’s life."

Anthony was diagnosed on Mother’s Day this year with severe aplastic anaemia, a condition that occurs when the bone marrow fails to produce enough red blood cells for the circulation system.

He needed a bone marrow transplant to have any chance of surviving, but after a series of complications he contracted fungal pneumonia and doctors decided he was too frail to have the life-saving operation.

The strapping 6ft 4in youngster’s weight plummeted to just six stone and after more than eight months in Sunderland Royal Hospital he could no longer continue his fight and died on Friday, surrounded by his family.