Stem Cell Resolution Meeting 2/7/20 Everyone had the best seat in the house for our first Virtual Resolution meeting to hear all about Stem Cells and how to increase potential Stem Cell donor registrations. We heard from Peter McCleave, who lives in Cheshire, and who told us he was the son and grandson of WI members. Peter who is only 42, has Myeloma and needs a stem Cell transplant. He was told he had 7 years to live following his diagnosis in 2017.
Click on the link above to see a specially recorded video Peter made for us.
Peter, working with the charity DKMS, set up 10000 Donors in 2018 and when well enough started campaigning to increase the number of donors registered. He reached his target in 5 months and todate has over 50000 Donors so the new target is 100000. 15 matches have been found which is potentially 15 lives saved.
We CAN all make a difference by registering as a donor if we are in the 17-55 year age bracket and/or encouraging all our family members to do so. Finding a matching blood stem cell donor can be difficult as matches are determined by HLA typing (tissue typing). There are thousands of different HLA characteristics, in millions of combinations, so it’s a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. That’s why it’s so important for us to encourage as many potential blood stem cell donors as possible to register.
By using the link below to register, and do share with family and friends, we will be able to monitor the impact of our resolution.
Click below to see an interview Peter gave on BBC television in 2019.