Thought it was important to share this:
Via the Ailis Corey Support Fund shared Cliodhna Craig's photo.
With a lot of talk about organ donation in the press, please also spare a thought for those who require life saving bone-marrow/stem-cell transplants but cannot get a match - people like wee 3 year old Charlie Craig, who is currently undergoing chemo for leukaemia and requires a stem cell transplant. Charlie is from Lisburn and has family links in Cookstown. Finding a donor match for Charlie is proving challenging as he has a unique cell type, but there will be someone somewhere who is a perfect match for Charlie and let's hope that person is found sooner rather than later.
I was one of the lucky 30% of stem-cell transplant recipients who found a donor in the family (thank you Brenda xxx) but for patients like wee Charlie, the process isn't as straightforward, and they rely on the kindness of strangers - so please, please do give consideration to the possibility of becoming a donor, as you could become a life saver and that's an absolutely amazing, incredible and unbelievable thing to have achieved in your lifetime.
There are various ways you can register to become a potential bone-marrow donor:
I've spoken with NI Blood Transfusion Service and they have advised me that anyone between the ages of 17-49 who currently donates blood through them, can register to become a bone-marrow donor. If you are interested, mention it to their staff the next time you go along to a blood donation session and they will take it from there...basically they will get a sample from you at your next blood donation session and send it off for testing etc. Your record will then be added to the British Bone Marrow Registry and they will contact you thereafter should you be a match for a patient.
There is loads of brilliant and useful information here:http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow/qa/index.asp#howcan
There are also a couple of fantastic charities that work tirelessly to find donors for patients who cannot find a match.
Anthony Nolan register: If you're aged 16-30 please consider joining this register. Check out all the details here:http://www.anthonynolan.org/8-ways-you-could-save-life/donate-your-stem-cells
Delete Blood Cancer: Any healthy adult living in the UK, between the ages of 18-55 can become a potential blood stem-cell donor via this charity. They've all the answers to your questions on their website:https://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/service/faq/general-questions.html
Sending lots of love to little Charlie and his family Xxx
Let's hope Charlie's donor match is just around the corner Xxx
I was one of the lucky 30% of stem-cell transplant recipients who found a donor in the family (thank you Brenda xxx) but for patients like wee Charlie, the process isn't as straightforward, and they rely on the kindness of strangers - so please, please do give consideration to the possibility of becoming a donor, as you could become a life saver and that's an absolutely amazing, incredible and unbelievable thing to have achieved in your lifetime.
There are various ways you can register to become a potential bone-marrow donor:
I've spoken with NI Blood Transfusion Service and they have advised me that anyone between the ages of 17-49 who currently donates blood through them, can register to become a bone-marrow donor. If you are interested, mention it to their staff the next time you go along to a blood donation session and they will take it from there...basically they will get a sample from you at your next blood donation session and send it off for testing etc. Your record will then be added to the British Bone Marrow Registry and they will contact you thereafter should you be a match for a patient.
There is loads of brilliant and useful information here:http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow/qa/index.asp#howcan
There are also a couple of fantastic charities that work tirelessly to find donors for patients who cannot find a match.
Anthony Nolan register: If you're aged 16-30 please consider joining this register. Check out all the details here:http://www.anthonynolan.org/8-ways-you-could-save-life/donate-your-stem-cells
Delete Blood Cancer: Any healthy adult living in the UK, between the ages of 18-55 can become a potential blood stem-cell donor via this charity. They've all the answers to your questions on their website:https://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/service/faq/general-questions.html
Sending lots of love to little Charlie and his family Xxx
Let's hope Charlie's donor match is just around the corner Xxx
Aílis Corey
