As someone who has witnessed the devastating impact of cancer first hand, I am deeply committed to raising awareness. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and our family endured many difficult times as she went through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Thankfully, she is now a survivor and remains with us.

What we went through really opened my eyes to how much support is needed across all areas of cancer care.

I came across a post on Instagram about a young man named Alex who was battling leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, I wanted to help. Alex was grateful for the support, but unfortunately, a compatible donor was not found. Despite his valiant fight over several years, Alex sadly passed away.

This highlights the critical need for more people, particularly those with mixed heritage backgrounds, to join the bone marrow donor registry. Currently, only about 3% of registered donors are from mixed heritage, which significantly reduces the chances of finding a suitable match for patients from these backgrounds. Joining the registry typically involves a simple swab test to collect cheek cells.

In the UK, around 10,300 people are diagnosed with leukaemia each year, which is about 28 people per day. Alex urgently needed a stem cell donor, sparking a large-scale search to find a match. Stem cell transplants are often a critical treatment for leukaemia.

Alex’s story deeply resonated with me, motivating my support for the Leukaemia Cancer Society. This organisation works tirelessly to support those affected by leukaemia and other blood cancers, advocating for increased donor registrations and providing crucial resources to patients and families.

Your donation could make a difference 🙏🏼