ABOUT ANTHONY NOLAN

Every day, Anthony Nolan saves the lives of people with a blood cancer or blood disorder. We do this by matching incredible individuals willing to donate their stem cells to people who desperately need a lifesaving transplant. We also carry out cutting edge scientific research, fund specialist post-transplant nurses and support patients and their families through the transplant process and beyond. We won’t stop until we save the lives of everyone who needs a stem cell transplant. Every penny you donate brings us closer to that day.

MY STORY

My dad was sadly diagnosed with Leukaemia in 2020. He started his treatment and the hospital tried to find him a donor on the Anthony Nolan register. Unfortunately, they were unable to find a match and as his youngest daughter I was his best stem cell donor option at a 50% match. I am extremely proud to have been his donor, and Dad recovered from the transplant, but he struggled with ongoing GVHD. This meant that 18 months later, when he caught Covid, despite putting up a huge fight, he didn't have the immune system to beat it and he passed away in February 2022, aged 66. 

We can't be certain of what might have changed the outcome for Dad, but perhaps if we had been able to find a closer donor match his body would have accepted the transplant more easily, and he would have been in a much better position to fight off Covid and continue to live his life.

Dad was; funny, warm, outgoing, he loved playing football and travelling, and had so much more to live for. I hope that by running the London Marathon on behalf of Anthony Nolan, I can help another person or family win their fight against blood cancer.