‘He was so brave and was determined to fight the illness right to the end’
Nov 23 2009 by Helen Rae, The Journal
ATEENAGER 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 last 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.
His aunt, Gail Slipper, of Harlow Green in Gateshead, paid tribute to her loving nephew who had courageously fought through four major operations. She said: “He was so brave and was determined to fight the illness right to the end, never giving up even when things looked bad. It was amazing how hard he fought to stay alive.
“The whole family are absolutely devastated he has gone as he was very close to us all. He will be sorely missed.
“The family was with him when he died and his mum talked to him the whole time. It was heartbreaking for us to watch him slip away but we all wanted to be with him. He is at peace now.”
Just days before Anthony took ill he had just started a new job as a security guard at the Metro Radio Arena and was a barman at several pubs in South Shields. He did a course in engineering at South Tyneside College and went to Harton High School.
Following his diagnosis, the teenager had to undergo regular blood transfusions as well as platelet replacements and was on strong painkillers and three different types of antibiotics.
Gail added: “Despite everything he had been through he still tried to keep on going.
“He was funny and a bit of a prankster, who liked to play practical jokes on people. He made us laugh and he also made us cry. He was a normal teenager and was well liked by everybody.”
Anthony’s funeral is expected to take place at the end of this week or the beginning of next. He is to be buried next to his grandmother at Saltwell Crematorium in Gateshead.
