Alex Sims, a bright and kind pre-teen with a mind for science and math, was diagnosed in 2016 with an extremely rare genetic disease called IPEX syndrome. This little known disease made a huge impact on the lives of the Sims family and completely changed the way Alex lives his day to day life. With this disease largely affecting his immune system, Alex and his family have learned to be continuously vigilant about their surroundings and activities every day so as not to expose Alex to any harmful illnesses that might break past his weakened immune system and endanger his life. Because of the autoimmune complications of this disease, IPEX has a very short life expectancy with often very severe symptoms, and for those who receive this diagnosis, mostly young children, many patients are not expected to survive past the age of 12. Alex, though, at the age of 14, has thankfully shattered expectations and is thriving in school.

This, however, is not a guarantee for future years to come. Alex still struggles daily with a multitude of medical complications stemming from IPEX that make daily life hard for him.

Since Alex's diagnosis, and with the hope that a matching stem cell donor could cure his disease and save his life, Alex's family has been tirelessly reaching out to people all over the country and across the world to spread the word about Alex's need for a matching stem cell donor. His Grandmother Cheryl, has even reached out to known distant relatives in the U.K. through an interview on the well known BBC news network. With his unique mix of ancestry (northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and the Balkan region, which includes countries like Romania and Greece), it has been difficult to find a donor match for Alex. No match has been found for him so far among any of the world's registries, but the Sims family continues to fight and hold out hope, and to reach out to the public to spread the awareness about his need and how people can help Alex and other children like him by registering as potential stem cell (bone marrow) donors.

To keep up to date on Alex's journey, visit this Facebook page made solely for his IPEX updates. 

https://www.facebook.com/cotaforteamalexs