A MOTHER whose baby son is desperate for a bone marrow transplant says saving his life “would mean the world” to her.

Max Hilton, from Loughton, was diagnosed with Dyskeratosis Congenita syndrome in March 2016 which means he does not have enough platelets in his blood.

The 15-month-old’s only option is a bone marrow transplant, which could see him make a full recovery, but he needs to find a ten out of ten match.

He is currently in intensive care at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where he is also battling breathing problems, a small hole in his heart and a critically low immune system.

Max needs to have blood transfusions twice a week to keep him alive.

His mum Becca, who lives with her husband, Max’s dad, Adam, 28, has not been home in three weeks, staying by Max’s side every day.

The 28-year-old cannot work while Max is in hospital, but she holdss out hope that he will make a full recovery. 

She said: “I was so anxious when we found out. There was a lot of going forward and backwards while waiting for news on what he had. The day we found out, we were not expecting to hear anything. My husband was not there. It was so disappointing. I was so on edge.”

But the trauma of spending so much time in hospital at such a young age has not affected little Max.

Becca says despite the ordeal, he remains a happy, smiling baby who “loves and audience”.

She added: “He smiles all the time. Even though he is unwell he’s always smiling and laughing. He loves his family so much.

“He likes to flutter his long eyelashes to everyone. When he gets down, we play Metallica to him.

“He’s a certain way.”

Max is Becca and Adam’s only son and the couple recently moved from Loughton to Romford.

If all else fails and a match cannot be found, Becca says she would have a baby genetically engineered with the same DNA as Max’s to save his life.

She said: “To think that potentially a new baby brother or sister could save his life is something that I could never describe.

“It would be our last course of action because the pressure we have already is big, and to add another child to that would be hard. We would do it if it was his last chance though.

“If he gets a transplant, it will just be a huge relief. It would mean the world to me.”

Becca is desperate to raise awareness, dispel any myths that the procedure is painful and encourage people to sign up to the bone marrow register.

She added: “Max can have a male or female donor, as long as it is a 100 per cent match.”

The family have been “shown a lot of love” from family and friends, and have even been sent letters and messages through on their Facebook page.

Becca added: “My family and my husband’s family have been very supportive. We’ve been overwhelmed with messages of support, they keep us going.

“Literally everyone has been running around us. I had family come down from Devon to help out. It’s even the little things when people offer to put some washing on for us. People have put their own lives on hold for us.”

Children from near where Becca’s family live in Devon are fundraising in a sponsored swim, called Swimming to Max.

The children will swim 250 miles in 20 weeks in their local pool, the distance between Devon and Romford.

You can find out more about Max on his facebook page called Be there for Buzzman.