After years of heartache, four brothers and parents enjoy festivities at home (From Daily Echo)

After years of heartache, four brothers and parents enjoy festivities at home

11:47am Friday 1st January 2010

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FOR one Hampshire family the new year is extra special this year.

David and Allison Hartley’s four sons were all at the family’s Romsey home for the festive period for the first time in three years.

Josh, Daniel, Nathan and Luke all suffered from the rare genetic condition Duncan’s Disease and underwent transplants since being d i a g n o s e d with the lifethreatening condition six years ago.

The only cure at present is a bone m a r r o w transplant from a matching donor.

The boys have all had their transplants, and now appear to have recovered from chronic graft Vs host disease linked to their treatment for Duncan’s Disease also known as XLP.

Josh, now 17, had his transplant in June 2004. Mum Allison was the donor. He is now studying IT at college.

And 13-year-old Daniel had his transplant in November the same year and spent Christmas 2004 in hospital.

His 16-year-old brother Nathan received a transplant in 2005. Both he and Daniel received bone marrow transplants from unnamed donors.

And Luke, nine, had a second transplant in 2008 after the first failed. He’s just returned to school after recovering from a perforated and enflamed bowel.

“It is the first time for three years they have all woken up in their own beds on Christmas morning,” said David.

“Last year Luke was in Southampton General Hospital and the year before he had his bone marrow transplant.

“We had a relaxing time watching DVDs and laughing at how out of tune I am on Band Hero,” he added “This all started 13 years ago when Nathan had his B cell lymphoma form of cancer and six years on we found out that it was one symptom of XLP. All had blood tests and were found to have XLP,” said David, who set up the XLP Research Trust in 2005 to raise cash to find out more about the disease.

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