Recovery setback for transplant boy Luke Hartley from Romsey

12:40pm Saturday 29th November 2008

Comments (5)   Have your say »

YOUNG Luke Hartley – the last of four brothers to be cured of a life-threatening genetic condition – has suffered a setback on his road to recovery.

The eight-year-old, who returned to school in June following a bone marrow transplant to cure him of the condition X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP), is back in hospital following surgery for a perforated bowel following months of stomach pains.

Luke, from Romsey, returned to London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital on Wednesday to undergo an endoscopy to investigate his stomach pains.

His father David Hartley said: “The scope showed acute inflammation in his bowel. The consultant was very surprised and it is unclear what is causing it.”

David and mum Allison took Luke to Southampton General Hospital on Thursday night when his condition deteriorated and he underwent surgery yesterday.

“It would appear that he now has a perforated bowel, possibly brought on by the scope,” said David. “This is a huge shock considering how well he had been doing – this Sunday we will reach the five- year milestone since being diagnosed with XLP and we had hoped to be over the very worst.”

Brothers Joshua, 16, Nathan, 14, Daniel, 12, and the youngest, Luke, were all diagnosed with XLP, or Duncan’s Disease, in November 2003.

The condition, which only affects boys, leaves sufferers with no immunity against illnesses such as cancer of the blood and glandular fever.

All four boys have now undergone bone marrow transplants to cure them.