Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I was diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia when i was just a teenager way back in the good old days of Pulp, Oasis and Spice Girls in the late 90's.

My sister was diagnosed 1st as a routine blood test picked up an anomaly. After weeks in hospital, she was found to have FA, and subsequently myself and my other sister was tested, and i too was positive.

Shelly's FA took a turn when in 2014 she developed cancer on her tongue. She gave a good fight and recovered well from it. In 2016 unfortunately, she developed a cist on her throat and required extensive surgery again. Whilst in battle was when her Bone Marrow went into Myelodysplasia syndrome, and sadly was one too many battles and she passed away in 2017.

The consultants increased my screening and during the chaotic pandemic start of 2020, my platelets took a tumble. I had a Bone Marrow test done at the start of 2021 which confirmed that i too now needed a transplant 

I was searching for a donor but failed, and so my superstar sister with learning difficulties literally leapt forward and demanded to be a part of it...she was a 5/10 match which was my only option.

January 2022 was when i went in for my treatment. I went in for the Hickman Line Insertion, and then had 5 days of chemotherapy, followed by full body radiation therapy. 

On the same day as my radiotherapy, Anne Marie went it to donate her stem cells. She had a needle in one arm which took her blood out, which was spun through a centrifugal machine, taking out what i need, and putting back the blood into her other arm. She said it did not hurt and she got given a Kit Kat,...Chunky! 

The next day I had her cells put in me, known as day 0. I then had 2 more rounds of chemo to target the T cells left. Few days passed and i felt my health getting worse each day, but that was on purpose to get my platelets, haemoglobin, red cells, white cells and neutrophils to 0. I had a pesky neutrophil hanging on at 0.1% but it finally gave up! After this, effectively my immune system, now its wiped can re load, and i picked up super quickly.

I did suffer (and still have) Graft Vs Host disease, which is her cells being over aggressive in me (see artists impression).

The last 11 months have been a complete rollercoaster, but Beth and the team at Fanconi Hope have given me hope. They have given me advise. They have listened to my moaning. They have been practical. They are amazing. along with other organisations.

I thought i am now well enough to give something back to say thank you for all of this and hope to help other people who find themselves in this unfortunate position and give them hope. 

I also wat to raise awareness not just of Fanconi, but to the importance of the Bone Marrow donor register on DKMS and Anthony Nolan. 

35 million people around the world are on the register, which is amazing, but to put into context, that's 4.3% of the 8 billion people, and I want to help grow this 

The mixed race (like myself), Asian and Afro Caribbean population have a much lower chance of finding a match and would like to outreach to those communities please especially. The disease does not prejudice who gets it, we all have the same chance (approx. 1 in a million), but others have a better survival chance.

As Anne Marie said it doesn't hurt to give cells and you get a tea and Kit Kat Chunky (although that's not guaranteed everywhere, tea likely is though). To register, simply go to www.Anthonynolan.org or www.DKMS.Org.uk, they will send a simple DNA Swab kit which you send back in a prepaid envelope, and wait for your calling to go from hero to super hero.

I know this is a long read, but I hope it helps you understand the reasons why i want to now pay forward all the kindness and support given to me, and help others

Thank you for your time in reading, any donations are extremely welcome. I am targeting those with short arms and deep pockets to reach a little further and not just the usual amazing people who all still give what they do. 

Thank you for your support, and appreciate everything

Take care 

Love James x

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