ASIAN BONE MARROW DONORS DESPERATELY NEEDED
(24 August 2004)

What would you do if you won the National Lottery? Would you dance about with glee and make plans to splash out on a new car, new house...new everything? Now what would you do if, instead of winning the lottery, you were told that you had Leukaemia and about the same odds of finding a bone marrow donor? Successful Asian woman, Nisha Mitha is facing just such a situation. Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) three weeks ago, she is currently undergoing intensive treatment at The London Clinic. "The statistics show that my chances of long term survival (defined as surviving a five-year disease-free period) are currently in the range 10-42% but, this would increase dramatically to 40-63% with a successful bone marrow transplant. Asian donors are more likely to be a good match for me, but unfortunately the register only contains 8000 Asian donors – so the odds are slim" she says sadly.

"There is a register (The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Donor Register) of 350,000 people in the UK that have signed up to be potential donors for strangers. It sounds like a large number, but it is so hard to find a match that it really isn’t." she added. And so, this enterprising young professional has launched a campaign to encourage more people to consider registering as a bone marrow donor. "If through my illness we can boost the register and save other lives too that would be an amazing thing."

REGISTERING AS A BONE MARROW DONOR

In order to register as a bone marrow donor you need to be aged between 18 and 40 years old (up to 43 if you are from an ethnic minority) and be in good health. To get on to the register you need to complete an application form and have a simple blood test. This will then be sent to the laboratories for tissue typing. After joining the register, if you are found to be a match for someone, further blood tests would be needed for more detailed analysis. Those interested can call the Anthony Nolan Trust on 0207 284 1234 to arrange a mutually convenient time to have a blood test or Register with the National Blood Service (www.blood.co.uk ) - telephone 0845 7711 711 (24hr). They can tell you when and where your next local blood collection service will be (across the UK and very frequent). You must inform them that you would like to register as a bone marrow donor at the collection point.

WORRIED ABOUT WHAT BONE MARROW DONATION INVOLVES?

If a sample of your bone marrow could save someone’s life, then you would need to go into hospital for two nights. Bone marrow is extracted under general anaesthetic using a needle and syringe from your hips (leaving a tiny pinprick and no scar). As with any procedure under general anaesthetic, there are minor risks involved. "My experience of having bone marrow removed two weeks ago was very straightforward, the only effect was that it left my hips and lower back feeling a bit bruised for three to four days afterwards" explained Nisha.

"It is not a simple decision." says Nisha " The thing that I really ask you to do with all my heart is to consider the option without delay and make an active decision, rather than leave this at the bottom of your ‘To Do’ list to decide on another time. The process takes up to four months from the initial blood test to transplant, so to be most helpful to me, I need you to make your decision soon."

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

Click here for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Donor joining details.
Click here for the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Donor Statistics.
Click here for Cancer Bacup's information about Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).
Click here for Cancer Bacup's information about bone marrow treatment

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