4-year-old North Texan battling leukemia in need of bone marrow transplant match
HIGHLAND PARK, Texas - A 4-year-old boy from Aubrey is in a fight for his life as he battles leukemia.
Sunday, members of the Highland Park community, where the boy’s father teaches, volunteered with an organization in hopes of finding a match for a bone marrow transplant.
People, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, are rallying around Dak Lopez, who is searching for a specific someone who can help him beat leukemia.
"You know, doctors have said that this is his only possible way of being cured," Dak’s father, Adam Lopez, said.
Adam, a multi-sport coach for Highland Park Middle and High School, said his son was diagnosed last month.
"He’s starting to understand that he is sick and there are things that he can and cannot do," he said.
Dak, who loves fishing and spending time with his two older siblings, is undergoing chemotherapy.
He’s in remission, but doctors expect him to relapse as it’s an aggressive form of leukemia.
"Because of that, he needs bone marrow transplant. That is the only way that he can be cured," Dak’s father said.
DKMS, the world’s largest blood stem cell donor center, said Dak’s search is a more difficult than most.
"So, Dak is Hispanic, so his donor will share his Hispanic heritage," said Amy Roseman, with DKMS.
The database is nearly 70% white. So Sunday, the non-profit Brother Bill’s Helping Hand opened its doors for DKMS so people could swab DNA in hopes of becoming a match.
Click here for more information on becoming a donor from DKMS.
"We help with food. We help with healthcare. We help with mental health care," said Wes Keyes, executive director of Brother Bill’s Helping Hand.
"If you sign up as a potential donor, you have a 1% chance of being found to be a matching donor," Roseman said. "So what we’re looking for is an exact genetic twin. So it’s pretty rare."
DKMS said each patient has a 30% chance of finding a donor within their family. If a match is found, a donation is simple.
"It’s kind of like donating plasma or platelets most of the time," Roseman added.
But DKMS said only 2% of Americans are registered.
"We want this to be able to help not only Dak, but other kids, other people that are in need of a bone marrow donor," Dak’s father said.
Dak’s family hopes to find that miracle match.
In the meantime, the person Dak is named after shared a message with the 4-year-old.
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Highland Park High School’s student council raised $17,000 for DKMS.
"And we’re very blessed to have them in our corner," Dak’s father added.
Many are hoping the 4-year-old’s will be a victory for him and many others.