Father urges community to help find a stem cell donor for his 15-year-old son
A father’s emotional plea for help is gaining national attention as he searches for a life-saving stem cell donor for his teenage son.
Juan Uribe, 51, has captured millions of viewers online with a heartfelt message: “I need your help to save my son.” His post has been viewed nearly 47 million times, amplifying awareness of his son Max’s critical condition.
Max, 15, has been battling a rare blood disease since he was six years old. As the disease has progressed, doctors say a stem cell transplant is now his only chance for a cure. Without it, his condition could develop into a rare and aggressive form of bone marrow cancer.
“It’s been the hardest thing as a family we’ve been through ever by multiple factors, and probably, you know, a parent’s worst nightmare,” Uribe said.
Finding a compatible donor has proven especially challenging for Max and his family. Because Max is half Colombian, his chances of finding a genetic match are lower due to underrepresentation in donor registries.
Uribe is now urging more people, particularly Latino men aged 18 to 35, to register as potential donors.
“The registries have historically been underrepresented in minorities,” Uribe said. “In the U.S., the Latino population is about 20%, but in the registries, it’s about half of that. So there’s a double factor—complex genetics and limited representation.”
Health experts say increasing diversity in stem cell registries is critical to improving outcomes for patients like Max.
“We need as many people as possible from diverse backgrounds to help increase the odds that all patients can find the best possible match,” said Erica Savilla of the National Marrow Donor Program.
Savilla emphasized that registering to become a donor is simple and safe. Interested individuals can sign up online, provide basic information, and receive a free cheek swab kit.
She also addressed privacy concerns, noting that personal data is protected.
“We have data encryption online, and once you send in your swab sample, it’s stored separately from your personal identifying information,” Savilla said. “We never share data with companies or government entities.”
If a donor is identified as a match, the procedure is typically straightforward. In most cases, it involves a process similar to donating blood.
“It looks like a bag of blood, but those are blood-forming stem cells,” Savilla said. “They’re given to the patient, and over time, the donor cells begin to grow and produce healthy blood cells.”
Those interested in helping Max can register specifically on his behalf or join the broader donor registry to potentially help others in need. Visit SwabForMax.com, or sign up through the National Marrow Donor Program at nmdp.org.
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