**CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES NEWS RELEASE**

Noah was born with a rare illness called Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome which has varying degrees of impact including: slow growth, digestive enzyme deficiencies, blood production irregularities, bone marrow failure, and a high risk of leukemia.  The average age of survival is 35.  Noah was diagnosed with this illness when he was only 3 months of age.  He had bi-monthly bloodwork to monitor blood levels.  Despite the risks he faced he lived life to the fullest and didn’t let this illness slow him down!

 

In May 2016, he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), the hardest form of leukemia to treat.  On August 3, he had a stem cell transplant.  His donor was his older brother Zakary, an autistic young man who would do anything to save his brother.  They had an undeniable bond of friendship and love.  Unfortunately, in May 2017 it was discovered that the AML was back.  In October 2017 Noah tried another treatment called Donor Lymphocyte Infusion (DLI) as a way to attack the leukemic cells.  In December 2017, we discovered that failed too.  Noah then participated in a clinical trial but that too failed.  He took his last breath in March at the age of 15.

 

Throughout his battle he had over 50 packed red blood cell or platelet transfusions. Thanks to people like you it kept his battle strong.  But he is not the only one.  There are many kids at Sick Kids and CHEO who will still need that blood during the holidays.  Cancer does not give anyone a break at Christmas.” – Noah’s Mother, Barbara Burkhardt

 

Join Canadian Blood Services and the Burkhardt-Leeftink family and friends in honouring Noah’s memory at the upcoming Timmins Mobile Donor Centre December 17th – 19th. Throughout the three-day donor centre we hope to collect 288 units of blood which will go to help hospital patients in need throughout the holiday season.

 

Individuals can also register for the stem cell registry at www.blood.ca to give a person a chance to live with illness such as Schwachman-Diamond.  Noah was lucky, however many children are still awaiting a match.

 

WHO:   In-Honour of Noah Burkhardt-Leeftink, Superkid Forever – Timmins Mobile Donor Centre

 

WHEN:  Monday December 17th: 2:30pm – 7:30pm

Tuesday December 18th: 11:30am – 2:30pm & 4:00pm – 8:00pm

Wednesday December 19th: 11:00am – 2:00pm

 

WHERE: Paroisse St. Dominique (720 Park St.)

 

To book an appointment today, locate a center, check your eligibility and more, download the GiveBlood app available for iOS on the App Store or for Android on Google Play or visit blood.ca..

 

About Canadian Blood Services

Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare. In the domain of blood, plasma and stem cells, we provide services for patients on behalf of all provincial and territorial governments except Quebec. The national transplant registry for interprovincial organ sharing and related programs reaches into all provinces and territories, as a biological lifeline for Canadians.

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