For someone with blood cancer, a stem cell transplant could be their last chance of survival. Today, five people will start their search for a stranger to save their life. Anthony Nolan is the charity that makes lifesaving connections between people with blood cancer and incredible strangers ready to donate their stem cells. It costs £40 to add each new potential donor to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register. Every new person on the register means another chance for someone to find their lifesaving match. By donating to our page, you will be giving more people with blood cancer the chance of a future. Together, we can keep saving lives.

My story:

When I was 6 years old my dad was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, something which changed our lives over night. The future was uncertain for my family and following many rounds of chemotherapy he was one of the lucky people to be offered a stem cell transplant provided by Anthony Nolan. This saved my dads life and allowed him to create many more memories with all our family and watch me grow up. 

Unfortunately, just after my 12th birthday the Leukaemia returned and we found ourselves again faced with fear and uncertainty about what the future held. My dad has always fought his hardest and battled through chemotherapy round after round and he was again gifted the miracle of a second transplant by Anthony Nolan, something we were made aware is hard to receive. This charity saved my dads life not once but twice. 

At age 17 my dad was diagnosed with Leukaemia for the third time and it truly felt like our world was crashing down. We quickly came to realise that a transplant wasn’t an option and we just had to ride this journey. 

I’m now 18 years old and we’ve just found out my dad can no longer have any more treatment. Although Anthony Nolan are no longer able to come to the rescue and rewrite the future I will forever be grateful for them as they enabled me to have my dad by my side through my whole childhood. This charity truly is lifesaving and gave me the chance to continue to look up to my dad for support and terrible dad jokes and shape who i am today.

Maisie and I have decided to run the London Marathon in 2024 to raise awareness for this amazing charity and show our gratitude. Maisie and I have been best friends since we were babies. We have been on this journey together from the first time when we were 7 to now age 18. We hope by running the marathon next year we can raise lots of money and awareness for this charity and encourage people to join the stem cell register so more people like my dad have the opportunity to undergo lifesaving treatment.

Hearing that my dad could have a transplant not once but twice truly was a little girls dream and Anthony Nolan made all my birthday and Christmas wishes come true. 

Update:

My Dad sadly passed away on the 14th August 2023. He knew all about our plans to run the marathon and was so excited and proud of Maisie and I. We will be running in memory of him and the extra years I got to spend with him thanks to Anthony Nolan.