Chicago boy with extremely rare blood disorder searching for stem cell donor

Alfredo Diaz needs a blood stem cell transplant, and his doctors are racing against time to find a match.

The 6-year-old Chicago boy has IL-10 Receptor Deficiency, an incredibly rare blood disorder with only 34 known cases in the world. He finally received a diagnosis after spending the first three years of his life in the hospital with gastrointestinal problems. Diaz's immune system is attacking his organs and cells, and he needs to have a blood stem cell transplant as soon as possible. "He has a bright future for him and he deserves to find a match," his mother, Natalia Diaz, told ABC Chicago.

No one in Diaz's family is a match. Doctors say there also isn't anyone on the Be the Match blood stem cell donor registry who is 100 percent compatible, and because of a lack of diversity among volunteers, there's just a 46 percent chance of finding Diaz a match. Through all of his health issues, Diaz remains a joyful child, his family said, always smiling and laughing with his friends at school and dreaming about his future as either a "coffee man" or WWE wrestler. They are hopeful that by sharing his story, more people will be encouraged to sign up for the registry. Catherine Garcia

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