The family of a Co Down teenager have asked for the public's support in finding their son a bone marrow donor match.
Daniel Greer was diagnosed with leukaemia two weeks ago, after complaining of a sore back and neck - the disease has now spread rapidly and aggressively.
The 14-year-old, from Newry, remains in hospital where he has just finished 10 back-to-back days of intensive chemotherapy and has received three units of blood and two platelet transfusions.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Daniel's father Paul spoke of the devastation they felt when they were told their son had leukaemia.
"Daniel had been complaining of a sore back and then my wife Anne noticed that he was mentioning a painful neck too," Paul said.
"On one of the days he got into the car after school and seemed very stiff and put his hand up to his neck. Anne asked him was everything alright and Daniel said his back was sore again. That flagged things to my wife and she took it from there and approached the GP.
"Everything happened very quick, unbelievably quick actually. Daniel went for blood tests on Monday, May 30, and the GP called to say that the numbers were off the scale. That something was not right.
"The Children's Haematology Unit at the Royal in Belfast contacted my wife that evening to say they needed Daniel straight away. He was put into an isolation room and taken to theatre to have bone marrow extracted form his back.
"We were given the news on June 1, that our son had leukaemia. It was mind boggling. Daniel has actually taken it better than myself and his mum.
"You always want to protect your kids and they are a joy and blessing to have but he was the one sitting up on the bed and saying 'right let's deal with this, when can we start treatment?'
"He has had really hard days, but he is so inspiring in how he has approached this. We are just in awe of Daniel and so proud."
Doctors told the Greer family that Daniel's diagnosis is fatal unless they get it in a corner and then find an appropriate donor.
As of Monday, the medical team said numbers indicate he is now in urgent need of a bone marrow donor, sparking a huge social media campaign to raise awareness for the disease and to spread the message of registering the DKMS donor list.
Paul said they have been overwhelmed by the support of family, friends and strangers who read about Daniel's experience online, and have joined the stem cell donor resister.
He added: "We have had so many messages for Daniel, get well cards in the post and presents left at the door for him.
"It is phenomenal, the goodness that is in people and the offers of help from people from all over. Not only will this raise awareness of leukaemia, but the more people we can get registered with DKMS the better.
"The procedure is so simple and doesn't cost a thing. It will literally take seconds to put your name and contact details on the DKMS website and they'll send out an envelope with a swab and a test tube - you swab inside your mouth and pop it back into the free envelope.
"That then is the initial steps to potentially, not only saving our Daniel's life, but the lives of other's across the world.
"It could help others who are maybe sitting at the side of a hospital bed with their sick child knowing that the clock is ticking."
Please follow this link for information on how to register with DKMS and here for the NI Blood Transfusion Service.
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