Sister’s stem cells help woman fight leukaemia

Lesley Calder was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2019. chemotherapy was unsuccessful and her only option was a stem cell transplant. Her three siblings came forward to be tested as stem cell donors. The chances of a sibling match are just 25% but Lesley was lucky.

Max was called on to donate his stem cells to a stranger last summer. Only 3% of the UK population is signed up to the stem cell donor register. Four out of 10 UK patients looking for an unrelated donor are unable to find a match. Fewer than 6% of people in Northern Ireland are registered as stem cell donors.

Seán Brady from Newry signed up to become a stem cell donor through another charity, Anthony Nolan. Anyone aged between 17 and 55 years old and in general good health can join the register - all it requires is a simple cheek swab. Twelve years after registering, Seán got a phone call to say that he was a potential match for a patient who had blood cancer. Increasing the number of people on the donor register means a greater chance of the 2,000 people each year who require stem cells finding a match.

For the Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Áine Groogan, blood cancer has affected her family. This weekend there are donor drives in Belfast. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details. She lost her uncle to leukaemia when she was 14.

She has been working with charities that fight against blood cancer and blood disorders. She said she knows #34;blood cancer can be devastating to families, but there#39;s hope. One thing that we all can do in our fight to delete blood cancer is to get on the blood stem cell donor register.