If you are under 40, weigh less than 150 pounds and have Type O blood, you may be able to save the life of a baby boy whose liver is failing.
According to WTMJ-TV, 5-month-old Marcus Albers of Waukesha, Wisconsin, has immunodeficiency 47, a rare genetic condition that causes the liver to deteriorate. It affects only 12 people worldwide – including Marcus' 2-year-old brother, Dominic.
But the disorder has already taken a much larger toll on Marcus, who urgently needs a partial liver transplant to survive, his family said.
"We were told Marcus has weeks to live, and that was a week and a half ago," the boys' mother, Whitney McLean, told WTMJ on Tuesday.
Now the family is pleading for a liver donor.
In addition to meeting the age, blood type and weight requirements, the donor must be a healthy nonsmoker who doesn't drink heavily and hasn't recently been pregnant, WISN-TV reported.
"We don't have a lot of time," McLean told WTMJ. "We need people who are serious and strict to the criteria. If you are serious and want to help us, we will take the help."
Dominic will eventually need to have a transplant, as well, WISN reported.
If you meet the criteria and would like to help, call Children's Hospital of Wisconsin at 414-805-1438 or 414-805-1437, or email marcustransplantchw@gmail.com. A GoFundMe campaign is also raising money for the family.
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