To ask for your help...

[Maracattack]

For my friend Ruby...

Ruby is a young mother of two children (Daniel, the oldest, is still just 2 and Sofia is 1 in February) and works as a social worker for adults. I've always been impressed by how much she is willing to give to others and how much she cares.

These are Ruby's own words (from her post on Facebook www.facebook.com/Rubiola79/posts/10154872132871753):

" THIS IS FOR ALL MY FRIENDS HERE IN THE UK 🇬🇧 THAT WOULD LIKE TO HELP ME OR OTHERS LIKE ME. PLEASE SHARE. HAVING SPOKEN TO MY CONSULTANT THIS MORNING IT LOOKS LIKE FINDING A MATCH REALLY IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE SO PLEASE REGISTER AS A DONOR, SPECIALLY IF YOU ARE SALVADORAN/ LATIN AMERICAN/ MALE/MIXED OR ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP OTHER THAN WHITE EUROPEAN.

I'm mother of two young children currently in the process of trying to find a bone marrow transplant donor to cure my lymphoblastic leukaemia-lymphoma. However, as a Salvadoran/ Latin American woman I am not in a good position to find a matching donor here in the UK or in the international registry.

I'm humbly asking if anyone is or knows someone of Salvadoran or Latin American origin here in the UK to please register with the bone marrow registry below as soon as possible. I would also like to take the opportunity to encourage those of mixed or none white northern European ancestry to also join, as donations are very low internationally for all of us not belonging to this group. Males are also particularly needed.

Please share this post. I'm hoping that if it doesn't help me it may at least help another person in a similar situation. Only three months ago I really never thought I would ever be in this situation.

Thank you!"

Here are the links to donate....

UK

www.dkms.org.uk/en/register-now

www.anthonynolan.org/8-ways-you-could-save-life/donate-your-stem-cells

Or via blood donation.

AUSTRALIA

www.abmdr.org.au/how-to-join-2/

www.donateblood.com.au/

USA

www.dkms.org/en/register

bethematch.org/support-the-cause/donate-bone-marrow/join-the-marrow-registry/

I realise there are a lot of requests like this about but registering is such a simple process... just fill in the details online and send off a swab - even if you're a match then the donation is quite simple... and you could potentially help so much. Obvious, for Ruby, we're looking for someone with a particular background but I really think everyone who can should register to potentially do something so wonderful.

Thank you so much for reading,

E.

I'm not the right March but bumping for your friend.

match sorry 😳

Thank you so much Jonty

I'd encourage you to still register though, you might be the right match for another family.

The other thing I meant to ask was if anyone had an idea of how to reach out to the Latin American community in the U.K.

It's really expensive to get tested in El Salavador (nearly $800) but free here - hence concentrating on the UK, US and Oz.

Good luck in finding a match soon.

Thank you :)

I'm not the same background and already on the register, but bumping for you

Thanks Needmoresleep!

Thanks for responding, BestMammyEver, I'm so glad your son found a match! And hope he's feeling much better.

It's my adult friend who needs the match but thank you - we're hopeful as lots of people are sharing, looking and registering but obviously it is difficult.

A friend shared this to show the difficulties in getting matches for different groups (please note I'm not sure exactly of the sourcing).

Shameless bumping!

Good luck! I joined myself about a year ago after reading a story of a little girl desperately in need, the test is easy and painless, just spit in a tube! Anyone who would be willing to receive a donation, be it blood, bone marrow or an organ, should join these registers to donate.

A cause close to my own heart, my mum had leukaemia and the only match, worldwide, was a lady in America.

Sending all my prayers

Could you message these people? They may have some ideas about how to get the word out in the community?
www.tiendasdelsur.co.uk/

Or these?
www.clauk.org.uk

And another
www.casalatina.org.uk/en/

Thank you so much much everyone for responding! I'm so pleased people to hear people are registered.

ikeatears, thank you for the links. I will check with Ruby's other friends if we've been in touch and e-mail them/ offer to visit with posters today!

ArmySal, really pleased to hear your Mum found a match! It really shows how important it is to have that worldwide register.

Thank you Maracattack, I agree about the worldwide register. Incidentally, the donor they found for my mum wasn't a perfect match, I think it was 9/10, but the best they could hope for after an extensive search, and with time running out.

Luckily it worked (was 7 years ago now). I sincerely hope your friend finds a match.

That's actually really encouraging!

Bump

I've spent some time today sending e-mails into the void to various people but other people have been far more successful - you may be seeing posters up in London soon!

What is becoming clear the more I read is now difficult it is to find a match for anyone. I don't really know why this shocks me but it does... I'm obviously now registered (I was always on the Organ Registry) but only because this struck so close to home.