Cate Hargett, an 11-year-old in Greenwood, needs a bone marrow transplant as the search for her perfect donor match continues.
Cate, who dreams of becoming a librarian or author, was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder when she was 2 months old.
The Pillow Academy fifth grader has continued to fight bone marrow failure, which occurs when the tissue inside bones cannot produce enough healthy blood cells on its own.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has discovered that Cate has developed a significant TP53 mutation. The gene is also known as the “guardian of the genome” for its role as a tumor suppressor.
The mutation allows cancer cells to multiply uncontrollably and means Cate urgently requires a bone marrow transplant before malignancy develops. St. Jude is monitoring her progression.
“Cate is carrying the weight of this on her shoulders,” said her mother, Jenni Hargett. “There is a lot of anxiety and worry, as there is a lot of unknown.”
“Team Cate” has held in-person drives in Greenwood, Ridgeland and Oxford and at Mississippi State to help add to the national bone marrow registry. More drives are being scheduled.
“It has been great seeing the support from people for a child that they do not know,” Jenni said. “Cate has enjoyed going to the drives. Seeing all of those people lined up has helped give her hope.”
The process of joining a bone marrow registry takes a couple of minutes and could help Cate and other patients find their perfect match.
To help Cate find a donor, the Hargett family is working with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) and DKMS, a global organization that recruits donors and provides patients with matches.
Joining the registry does not obligate you to donate, Jenni said.
“You can have a kit mailed to you or attend a drive,” she said. “It takes five to 10 minutes to swab your cheeks. If you are called, then you make the decision on donating.”
Jenni said the registry companies can pay for donors’ travel costs and any lost wages.
The National Institutes of Health estimate that one in 200 Americans will undergo a stem cell transplant. About 70% of patients do not have a matching donor within their families and must rely on national registries.
According to NMDP, 90% of donors provide blood stem cells through a non-surgical, outpatient procedure done through an IV. The peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation works by drawing blood from one arm. Blood stem cells are collected through a machine and returned to the donor’s body through the other arm.
The other 10% give through a bone marrow donation, which is a surgical procedure in which cells are collected from the hip.
“I really appreciate the way our friends, family, those across the Delta and the state have helped spread the word and shared Cate’s story,” Jenni said. “Our hometown of Greenwood has really rallied around us.”
If you are between the ages of 18 and 35, text TeamCate to 61474 to complete a registration with NMDP and request a free swab kit.
If you are between 18 and 55, go to www.DKMS.org/swabforcate, complete a form and they will mail a free swab kit.
Return postage is included with each package.
- Contact Taylor Thompson at 662-581-7239 or tthompson@gwcommonwealth.com.
