ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – Little Elias loves to play just, like any other infant his age. But the six-month-old is a bit different. In fact, he's in a fight for his life.
"He doesn't have an immune system that works for him,” said Elias’ mother, Evelyn Argirokastritis. “So we're in need of a bone marrow donor to replace the current bone marrow that he has."
Argirokastritis knew something just wasn't right with her little boy from day one. Little did she know the long road they had ahead of them.
"Ever since he was born, he had like, they would tell me it was like baby eczema, but I didn't believe it," she said. "One day, he got really sick and he wasn't keeping anything down, so I took him over to Beaumont. They did his blood work and said his white cell count was 42,000 and they were alarmed, and they said, 'We are sending you by ambulance to Royal Oak,' and said, 'Something is wrong. We've gotta figure out what it is.'"
He would later be diagnosed with a rare immunity disorder. His body cannot fight off any infections. For him, common illnesses are a matter of life and death.
"A respiratory infection, if he were to get one, it's lethal for him," said Argirokastritis.
Argirokastritis and her family members are posting flyers all across Metro Detroit and on social media. They're advertising a "Be The Match" bone marrow registry drive hoping that someone will be that perfect 8/8 match for their little boy.
"He had 17 partial matches, but a lot of them aged out. They were 65 and older, and we need 18-44," Argirokastritis said.
No one on the International Bone Marrow Registry has proven to be a perfect match for little Elias. Not giving up hope, his mother keeps him isolated at home so he won't get sick. A feeding tube is used to give him his formula and medications.
"We go for infusions,” explained Argirokastritis. “We help boost his immune system as much as we can."
While they wait for that perfect match, Argirokastritis isn't giving up hope. She's doing everything she can to make sure her baby boy has a long and healthy life.
Elias' “Be The Match” Bone Marrow Registry Drive:
Wednesday, Feb 7. from 5-9 p.m.
Saturday, Feb 10. from 3-9 p.m.
The Jagged Fork
188 N. Adams Road
Rochester Hills, MI 4830