TRANSPLANTS HIT MARROW OF THE MATTER BOY'S DEATH SAVES HIS BROTHERS' LIVES.Byline: Sue Doyle Staff Writer CASTAIC - The LaRues were on vacation when their 8-month-old son Layne broke out with a fever. Two weeks later, he died. The boy had never been sick before, and doctors couldn't diagnosis his sickness fast enough as his young life had quickly unraveled before their eyes. At first they thought he was wrestling with leukemia, but later he was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder called X-linked lymphoproliferative that affects fewer than one in 1 million males. With his immune system immune system Cells, cell products, organs, and structures of the body involved in the detection and destruction of foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. Immunity is based on the system's ability to launch a defense against such invaders. wiped out from the genetic disease, his weakened system couldn't fight off a common virus that rapidly spread through his body and eventually led to his death. Still reeling with their boy's sudden death, the family knew they had to test their three other sons for the same disease. Aaron was spared. But tests showed that Garrett, 3, and 6-month-old Blayke, had the same disorder as Layne. For parents Theresa and Scott, their world turned into chaos again. Losing one boy was completely devastating dev·as·tate tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates 1. To lay waste; destroy. 2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark. . There were no words to describe the thought that two more boys could die. Doctors told the family that bone marrow transplants bone marrow transplant: see bone marrow. could save their boys' lives. If matches were found, their bone marrow could be reconstituted with bone marrow from a new immune system, which could fight infections and keep them healthy and strong. The problem was how to get the marrow. Tests showed that neither parent or other family members were bone marrow matches. They then reached out to the public and held bone marrow drives. Scott's employer, the Los Angeles County Fire Department Not to be confused with Los Angeles Fire Department. The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD), serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including the City of La , also held bone marrow drives as did the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . . Still there was no match. The family looked into obtaining blood stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young from umbilical cords that can be used for transplantation and can grow marrow, although it can take a while. Umbilical cord blood umbilical cord blood Transplantation A source of primitive and stem cells that can be used to reconstitute BM destroyed by aplastic anemia or by RT or chemotherapy for CA, lymphoproliferative malignancies. See Bone marrow transplantation, Stem cell therapy. matches later were found in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of and Germany. The boys were saved. Nearly 10 years have passed, and now Theresa LaRue finds herself on another mission - to help other families get the bone marrow transplants they need. For children with leukemia, cancer and immune disease like Layne's, bone marrow transplants can save their lives. Theresa helps raise money for medical costs, plays host to bone marrow drives and offers other support for families faced with the same crisis that struck her own. Eight months ago, she started the nonprofit Layne's Legacy, named after her son who died in 1995. If it weren't for him, they never would have known the others had the same illness, she said. ``We've always believed that Layne saved his brothers. We could have lost all three,'' she said. ``I think Layne has many more lives to save.'' Through Layne's Legacy, there's an upcoming bone marrow drive for 11-year-old Ryan Baker Ryan Daniel Peter Baker is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed since mid-2005 by actor Isaac Gorman. He now lives with Dan Baker because Amanda moved to the city. . The Stevenson Ranch boy has relapsed twice with leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant to help save his life. No one in his family is a match. Baker's bone marrow drive takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22, at Church of the Nazarene Church of the Nazarene (năz'ərēn`), U.S. Protestant denomination established in 1908 through the union of the Church of the Nazarene, based in California; the Association of Pentecostal Churches, a New England group; and the Holiness , 23857 N. The Old Road, Newhall. Sue Doyle, (661) 257-5254 sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com HOW TO HELP A bone marrow drive to find a match for leukemia patient Ryan Baker, 11, of Stevenson Ranch will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 22 at Church of the Nazarene, 23857 The Old Road, Newhall. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- color) The LaRue family, left to right: Blayke, 10, Scott, Garrett, 13, Aaron, 15, and Theresa. Both Blayke and Garrett were recipients of bone marrow transplants that saved their lives. (2) LaRue brothers, left to right, Aaron, Garrett and Blayke play on a trampoline trampoline Resilient sheet or web (often of nylon) supported by springs in a metal frame and used as a springboard and landing area in tumbling. Trampolining is an individual sport of acrobatic movements performed after rebounding into the air from the trampoline. at home. After Layne LaRue died of a rare disease, tests revealed that two of his brothers were in need of bone marrow transplants. David Crane/Staff Photographer Box: HOW TO HELP (see text) |
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