Marrow for Matthew: Dad launches inspiring campaign that aims to save lives around the world

"Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing."

This legendary quote from Muhammad Ali sounds every day in Eduardo Schell’s mind when he wakes up. His son Mateo (Matthew), who is three months old, suffers from leukaemia and desperately needs a bone marrow transplant to survive.

[Mateo has Juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML). Find out more here]

There had been hopes that Mateo's older brother Lucas, two, could be a match, but a negative blood match put paid to that dream. Doctors say there is only a one per cent chance of finding someone compatible and if a match is not found Mateo has only two or three months to live - but his family refuses to give up hope.

"I thought it was just an episode of fever, we would never expect something like that, but you only have two choices in your life when that kind of things happens to you: sink or fight," says Eduardo, 35, who has put his career in sports journalism on hold to try and save his son's life.

The father-of-two from Madrid has made the most of the contacts he has built in his profession, securing the support of tennis legend Rafael Nadal and top Spanish footballers Iker Casillas and Fernando Torres.

The hashtag #M4M became a trending topic on Twitter last week, thanks in no small part to sports stars retweeting Mateo's story that had been widely reported by the Spanish media.

It was at this stage that Eduardo and his family decided to create a website to help Mateo and thousands of other leukaemia patients going through the same experience. Launched just days ago, 'Medula para Mateo' has already received 700,000 visits.

Eduardo has also had the website translated into English. 'Marrow for Matthew' sets out clearly the steps everyone needs to take donate in their locale. It is hoped the initiative will have a global impact, inspiring more people to become donors.

The goal is clear: they want to simplify the information out there on bone marrow donation to enable more people to get tested.

"There is not much detail on marrow donation and we believe it is more due to ignorance," says Eduardo.

Since the website went live the response has been overwhelming. An estimated 2,600 people from around the world have already donated as a direct result of reading about Mateo's plight. Some centres in Spain simply can't cope with the demand. "Many people have told us they have called the centers for four days, but they haven’t picked up the phone," says Eduardo.

Health workers are said to be working overtime and have set up field hospitals in different locations across Spain to receive donors. "My wish is that everyone who wants to donate can do it, despite the impediments," Eduardo says.

Since they learned of Mateo's condition his parents have got in touch with other families stricken by leukaemia. "Everyone has his own campaign, but we are looking at what can we do together; the more people will donate bone, the more options there are for all", says Eduardo.

Ultimately, all Mateo’s family is praying for is that one phone call telling them a compatible donor has been found. "We know that it’s very hard and we have suffered many knocks already. It's like a roller coaster - but if you fall seven times you have to get up eight times, each time with a smile ".