NYC Father Seeks Donor for His Son Facing Serious Health Battle
A father from New York City is urgently searching for a donor to help his teenage son, Max Uribe, who is fighting a rare blood condition. Max, a 15-year-old high school freshman, is approaching a crucial time when he will need to be hospitalized for treatment.
Juan Uribe, Max’s father, shared that they first noticed something was wrong with Max’s blood counts when he was just six years old. Initially thought to be linked to a virus, the problem has persisted, leading to worse health outcomes over the years.
In December 2024, doctors diagnosed Max with clonal cytopenia, a serious condition affecting his blood and bone marrow. “All of his blood counts are low—red, white cells, and platelets,” Juan explained.
By August 2025, further tests indicated that Max was heading towards bone marrow failure, making it critical for him to receive a stem cell transplant soon. “His blood counts continue to drop, and we are looking at a hospital stay in May,” Juan said.
If Max doesn’t get the necessary treatment, he faces a risk of developing myelodysplastic syndrome, which could evolve into acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer.
For Max to find a suitable donor, they need a match with a specific type of HLA—proteins that help the body’s immune system recognize its own cells. Having a donor who shares similar ethnic backgrounds can improve the chances of a successful match. Unfortunately, the statistics show that Hispanic and Latino patients have a 49% chance of finding a perfect donor match, compared to 79% for non-Hispanic white patients.
Juan emphasized the difficulty in finding a match for Max, who has a unique heritage—half Colombian and a mix of Italian, British, and German. “It’s tough. We need a larger pool of potential donors to find the right match for Max,” he said.
Max, who is active in sports like tennis and wrestling, recently had blood tests that showed concerning declines in his health. “The situation is becoming critical, and urgency is important,” his father remarked.
Without a donor secured by the time of his hospitalization, the medical team may have to proceed with a partial match, which isn’t ideal. Juan highlighted that using a partially matched donor lowers survival rates and increases the risk of complications.
To assist, anyone interested in donating can visit the Team Max website to order a free test kit. This kit includes a simple cheek swab that can be returned to determine if someone is a match for Max.
This family’s struggle highlights the importance of community and support in finding matches for those in need.
