Every 20 minutes, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer and during the corona virus outbreak, it is even more crucial that we do all we can to offer hope to people with blood cancer and blood disorders.
The numbers of people joining the blood stem cell register has declined dramatically in recent times, and now, more than ever before, we need people to sign up. For many, a blood stem cell donation is someone’s best chance of recovery and only 30% of people find a match within their family. This means the remainder will need to find an anonymous blood stem cell donor, and that could be you.
Arya, 11, from Cambridge was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia in July 2020. Aplastic Anaemia is a life threatening condition in which the body stops producing new blood cells that are needed to carry oxygen, prevent infection and to stop bleeding.
Arya is in desperate need of a blood stem cell transplant in order to give her a second chance of life. Unfortunately no-one in Arya’s family is a match so the family are relying on a complete stranger to help save Arya’s life.
The search to find this stranger is made even more challenging as Arya is of mixed heritage being half Indian and half Caucasian. Arya’s best chance of a match is from someone of Indian or mixed Indian/Caucasian origin.
Her Mum, Brundha and Dad, Geraint Lloyd, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon at Pinehill Hosptal are appealing for more people to take the first step and register as potential blood stem cell donors, particularly people of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. By requesting a home swab kit from DKMS, they may hold the correct HLA –typing to allow Arya to have the lifesaving stem cell transplant.
Registering as a blood stem cell donor is easy, simply check your eligibility and request your home swab kit.
Please register today at https://www.dkms.org.uk/en/arya
If you are unable to register as a potential donor, we would be very grateful if you could consider making a contribution towards the cost of a registration.
It costs £40 to register a new donor on the UK stem cell registry. As a charity, DKMS rely on monetary donations from the public to help cover the cost and greatly appreciate any contribution, no matter how big or small.