Edmontonians gathered at the south side blood clinic on Wednesday to honour a young kid with a rare genetic condition who became the first Canadian to ever receive a life-saving stem cell transplant. Jakob Kamil Guziak was born with ADA-SCID, or adenosine deaminase deficiency, in 2019. Just 10 days after birth, Jakob became a ‘bubble boy’ as he had no immune system for fighting infections or colds. Kids born with ADA-SCID often don’t live past two years old. On Wednesday, however, seven-year-old Jakob and his mother, Paola Andrea Fernández, were encouraging people to sign up to donate plasma – monthly injections of which kept Jakob alive. In 2024, the family travelled to California so Jakob could receive a stem cell transplant. His body now produces the missing ADA gene that helps him fight off infections. He became the first child in Canada to have received the transplant. Two years later, his mom says he’s doing “fantastic.” “Our way of giving back is to have everybody come together to celebrate with us by giving back with blood and plasma,” she said. Jakob still gets monthly plasma infusions, as he relies on the antibodies needed to keep him healthy, but is likely nearing the end of the need as his body fully recovers from the transplant. “It helps us stay healthy and go to school and have fun with friends,” Fernandez said. “Even if the infusions stop, it doesn’t mean we stop with other patients. There’s a very big need in terms of donations and other patients that rely on them who might not have an end like Jakob.” Jakob is in grade 1 now and says his favourite part of going to school is math class. The community campaign is looking to inspire 50 plasma donations by Aug. 31. Chances to donate can be found on the Canadian Blood Services website. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Galen McDougall
