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BENTON Morris — who is among the Jamaican performers in the hit Disney musical, The Lion King — is facing a life-threatening health situation.
He is in need of O negative blood for a transfusion to help with his latest crisis as a result of aplastic anaemia, a rare disorder which causes his blood cells to die within days of generation, causing his blood count to drop to dangerous levels.
He told the Jamaica Observer that he was first diagnosed with the disease back in 2017 while he was living with the troupe that performed as part of The Lion King international touring company.
“I received ATG [anti-thymocyte globulin] treatment which kills the cells and helps restore my immune system, stem cell and bone marrow. This transfusion helps to produce healthy cells which will bring my blood count back up to acceptable levels. I didn’t have need for a transfusion again until 2021 when I went to New Zealand for rehearsals. I guess it was the jet lag and because I haven’t performed in a while due to the pandemic that triggered something. I had another transfusion and I was fine,” he said.
Morris returned to Jamaica and three weeks ago realised he wasn’t feeling well — the usual symptoms of dizziness and a pounding headache were telltale signs that he was having another attack.
He went to the doctor and soon realised that his blood count was dangerously low. What should normally be at 18, was now at four and he was at risk of a heart attack.
The COVID-19 crisis meant that he could not go to a public hospital as his immune system was compromised.
After a number of checks he was finally admitted to Nuttall Memorial Hospital in St Andrew last Tuesday.
Morris said he made an appeal to family, friends and associates, who responded and nearly 100 persons donated blood on his behalf.
But despite the donations, he is yet to receive the number of pints he needs to restore his blood count.
“While I was in the hospital I only received one pint of blood. I know that most of the blood didn’t match my blood type but at least six persons gave O negative blood — and I have the receipts — yet I am waiting with no word on what is happening. I know a second unit of blood came on Friday, but it was the wrong type; it was O positive. People are donating for me and I’m just sitting and waiting with no word,” he said.
For Morris, this is most distressing as “persons are giving blood at the Blood Bank for me and yet I can’t get it. I had to ask for a discharge from the hospital as I was just running up a big bill with no word on whether I would receive the transfusion”, he said.
“This is just distressing. I received transfusion in two other countries and everything went fine. I am disappointed that here in Jamaica I am facing these roadblocks. Furthermore, so many people donated blood for me and while I understand that I can’t receive all that was donated because of my blood type, I didn’t think I would have to wait this long for the O negative blood which was donated on my behalf,” he continued.
Morris, who is a former dancer with the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica (NDTC), is hoping that he can receive the transfusion and be fit and ready to resume rehearsals for his performance in The Lion King, which will tour the cities of Seoul, Daegu and Wasan in South Korea later this year.
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