“I hope and pray we get a match for my son,” she said. Two-year-old Ezra was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia in 2021. Marfo became a stem cell donor but it wasn’t a perfect match. His son relapsed earlier this year. “It’s very painful to watch and stay 24/7 in the crib. If you want to pick him up, he has to be close to the crib because he has a lot of tubes attached,” Marfo said. The problem is that there aren’t enough donors for Ezra, who was born in Alberta and is of African descent. He is waiting at the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary for his match. “People of African descent are difficult to match, in part because there aren’t many donors of African descent,” said Dr. Matthew Sheftel, a physician at Canadian Blood Services. Marfo traveled the country attending events organized by members of the Black community. “I’m not related to Ezra or Jacob,” said Jennifer Adu-Gyanfi, a registered nurse. He spearheaded the baton removal events here in Ottawa at All Gospels Church in Orleans and 26 Thorncliffe Pl. in Nepean. “My son is also called Ezra, who is also two, he is only two weeks apart. With my work and my family, this (story) just touched me. If we can save a life why not?’ Andou-Yianfi said. The process of becoming a donor is simple. After answering a health questionnaire, you receive a swab kit for DNA collection. In the meantime, Marfo hopes these efforts will raise awareness of the need for more donors from diverse backgrounds and potentially save a life. “If you can’t save my son, you can save another person,” he said.
