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.
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Morris returned to Jamaica and three weeks ago realized 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 realized 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.
