The last time we heard of little Cleyon Marage was in April. His stepfather had come to our studios asking for financial help to cover the cost of a $100,000 bone marrow transplant. Cleyon had relapsed in March and this surgery is the only way to save his life. But his parents still haven't come up with the money and time is quickly running out for Cleyon. Today his mother Clovis Matura told us that although Cleyon is okay at home right now, she could lose her son any minute if he does not get the transplant. Matura gave us the update on Cleyon and told us about a raffle the family is organizing to raise funds.
Clovis Matura - Mother
"We just came back from Merida on Sunday and he's doing good right now. He's at home secluded because his blood might me low after the chemo and we can't have him getting sick because he's like a baby and it could kill him. He's eating a lot of beets and calaloo and healthy things to keep his blood up. So, we can stay here until time to go back. We are planning raffle that is to be held on the 16th of July. We got items donated from companies here in Belize that wants to help Cleon. We got a stove from Courts, a tablet from Fultec, a phone from Smart, Chukka Adventures donated 1 tour for 2 and San Pedro Water Taxi donated 2 round trip tickets. 2 to Caye Caulker and 2 San Pedro and we got a gift certificate to Celebrity Restaurant. Cleon needs the surgery because he had a relapse with the leukemia and because he had a relapse that means that the cancer is in immune to the chemo. So, the only chance he has is to get the surgery. The surgery costs 100 thousand dollars in Mexico and we are also looking at Cuba, hopefully they can do it. If they can do it, it would be for free. Cleyon was supposed to get the surgery 2 years 
ago. It is supposed to be 2 treatment and them he goes into remission and then he gets the surgery, but it was so hard and still the money you know. It was so hard. No one was offering to help us and we did not know about Cuba. We just found out about it and now that he has the relapse we are back at square one where he needs the surgery again."
The raffle will be held on July 16th. The raffle tickets are $10 each and if you would like to purchase one you can call 665-0190 or 661-2791.
Now while the family is planning that raffle, a family friend living in the UK, Sheri Usher Bovio is giving some major assistance by pledging BZ$50,000. Yes! that is half of the cost of the surgery. Now while that seems too good to be true, Matura says she believes it because Bovio has been in contact with her from the start of Cleyon's difficult journey. Matura says she is shocked at the amount of the pledge but overwhelmingly grateful for the help.
Clovis Matura - Mother
"She had contacted me by phone. The first time that I had went on the news expressing that she felt my pain and she sees Cleyon suffering and we've been in communication back and forth since the first interview that I did on the news 2 years ago and she contacted me again because we had lost communication. I think she said that she was sick and then we lost communication for a couple months and she contacted me again to say that she would pledge to help us through Cuba, but I would need to keep her in contact and then we would go from there."
Courtney Weatherburne
"So she didn't tell you the amount? In the email she said 50 thousand dollars."
Clovis Matura - Mother
"She did not tell me the amount but that is just so amazing. How could one person be so caring to a child that is not theirs's and give that kind of money for a surgery that he needs when it's so hard even here in our own country to get what he needs."
Bovio sent us an email about the $50,000 pledge saying "As a mother myself, I cannot think of any pain worse than losing a child. I'm not able to fund the full $100,000 cost of the transplant myself, but wondered if the media could help. I am willing to match any donations to this cause up to $50,000... This is urgent, as this child is running out of time."
We will keep following up with Cleyon's progress.
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