A BRAVE Halesowen boy was a baton bearer in the town after he recently underwent a stem cell transplant for sickle cell anaemia.
Que Pope was nominated by his school Windsor High and carried the baton in Halesowen on Sunday (July 24) as part of the run up to the Commonwealth Games.
Que was born with the life-threatening condition sickle cell anaemia.
The 12-year-old, of Stourbridge Road, Halesowen, had to have blood transfusions every four weeks before his life-changing transplant.
He is now free of the condition after having the successful stem cell transplant in April at Birmingham's Children's Hospital - with his dad donating his stem cells.
Grandma Donna Devante said: "He was so proud on the day. He was so nervous!
"He was still in hospital as he caught an infection and had to beg and plead to be let out to do the baton bearing.
"He was desperate to do it as it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"He met the Lord Mayoress in Brierley Hill on the evening."
Donna said the transplant means Que, who has 19-month-old twin siblings, is now free of sickle cell anaemia and can live a normal life.
The 52-year-old thanked the hospital for its wonderful work.
Donna said: "They have been great.
"It has been been really hard.
"I was his main carer while he was in hospital and stayed with him from Thursday to Sunday while also working Monday to Thursday.
"He's doing great now.
"He won't have to have any more monthly blood transfusions and will only have to go back to hospital for checks, which will get less frequent in time.
"We're so proud of him - he's such a loveable boy."
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