Up until a few months ago, 20-year-old Jordan Saccoccio was living his life to the fullest.
He worked six days a week across two jobs, was an avid soccer player and was just six weeks away from travelling to Europe with his family.
That all changed very abruptly in June, when a lingering cold led to a routine blood test.
The devastating results of that blood test changed Jordan’s life: he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), a rapidly-progressing cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Two days after his diagnosis, Jordan was admitted to hospital and commenced intensive chemotherapy.
His first two cycles of chemotherapy involved eight weeks in hospital, of which Jordan has only been able to enjoy four full days in his own home.
With more cycles of chemotherapy and many more months in hospital ahead, Jordan is determined more than ever to beat this disease.
Jordan’s greatest chance of survival is to receive a bone marrow/stem cell transplant.
His best hope was to have a sibling match, but this was unsuccessful.
His next best option was to find a compatible donor on the International Bone Marrow Donor Registry; however, no match currently exists.
Jordan’s genetic makeup is rare in nature, making it much more difficult to find a match.
Jordan and his family have turned to social media to try and find a life-saving match, creating Jordan’s Fight Club to spread the word.
While anyone could be a match, chances significantly increase with someone of Italian heritage.
Jordan turns 21 on October 5, and the best gift he could receive on this milestone would be the gift of life.
Want to help?
The process is simple: if you are 18 to 45 years of age and in good health, call the Red Cross on 13 14 95 to make an appointment to donate blood and join the registry.
At your appointment, ask the nurse at reception for the ABMDR Enrolment Form and complete the document before donating blood.
All registered donors go onto an International Bone Marrow Donation Register and are accessible to anyone in need, including Jordan.
Here are some useful links:
Australia (you must be aged 18 to 45):
Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
Australian Red Cross Blood Service
Italy (you must be aged 18 to 35):
International Bone Marrow Donor Registry
USA (you must be aged 18 to 44):
Be The Match Registry
UK (you must be aged 17 to 40):
The British Bone Marrow Registry
Canada (you must be aged 18 to 35):
