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Original poster

Every parent's worst nightmare - please help

383 replies

Rosieted · 02/04/2023 11:36

Twelve weeks ago my cousin's daughter was a healthy and happy 10 year old, enjoying a sleepover for her birthday and dancing with her friends way past her bedtime. Then all of a sudden, just after Christmas, her parents noticed strange bruising on her body. They didn't think it was anything serious but took her to her GP who ran her bloods. When the results came back everyone was in shock - they showed that her bone marrow had suddenly stopped working and after various tests she was diagnosed with a very rare and incredibly serious blood condition called aplastic anemia.

She is now in hospital having regular transfusions of red blood cells and platelets which are keeping her alive. In order to be cured she needs a stem cell transplant, and fast.

Her brother sadly isn't a match. Nor is anyone currently on the stem cell donor registry. My beautiful relative is now very poorly in hospital and is reliant on a total stranger to do something amazing and donate some of their stem cells to save her life.

I had no idea, but 90% of stem cell donations are taken from a donor's blood in much the same way as giving blood - it's pretty simple, yet it could save someone's life.

If you are reading this, please could you consider joining the donor stem cell registry. You could be the match that my god daughter needs. A group of her friends have set up a campaign called #swabyourgob and you can sign up to join the registry by ordering your free mouth swab kit from www.dkms.org.uk/swabyourgob

Even if you are not a match for her, you could be for the many people each year who need the kindness of a total stranger to save their lives.

Thank you so much for reading x

Register as a potential donor

To become a potential blood stem cell donor, just check your eligibility and request a swab kit.

http://www.dkms.org.uk/swabyourgob

OP posts:
Mylittlepea · 02/04/2023 15:49

I thought I was too old (52) but signed up and it accepted me to receive a swab pack.

So sorry to hear about your cousins daughter x💐

GirlInTheMirror27 · 02/04/2023 15:55

Signed up for them already 😊. All the best for your cousins daughter

Kirs7y · 02/04/2023 16:05

I’ve registered for a pack. Hope she finds a match!

WTFTwinings · 02/04/2023 16:11

I'll register OP. Sending every bit of good luck to your cousin's daughter 💐

Joystir59 · 02/04/2023 16:15

What's the upper age limit please?

notawittyname1954 · 02/04/2023 16:17

Sorry just tried to register and I'm too old. I hope your god daughter gets a match very soon. x

Creditcrunch2243 · 02/04/2023 16:17

i just tried to register but I have Graves’ disease sorry. Wishing your family all the luck in the world to find a match

TheBirdintheCave · 02/04/2023 16:18

halfthishalfthat · 02/04/2023 12:47

Dear OP, just reaching out with deepest sympathy. My daughter was diagnosed with high-risk AML (leukemia) in 2018, just after her 21st birthday. Her sister was not a match either, but she was lucky and there was a match in the DKMS data bank. She was transplanted in July 2018 and is still cancer free. At the time, my colleague organised an awareness day at our workplace to encourage other colleagues to register. My daughter has also featured in some videos for the DKMS in Germany to raise awareness. While we were waiting for the results of the data base search, we were told that parents are always a 50% match, and while that is not ideal for a transplant, it would have been a possibility in our case if we hadn't found a match. My daughter has since met her saviour, a young woman from the north of Germany. We will be eternally grateful to her. My family are all registered and I hope from the bottom of my heart that your relative will find her match too.

My dad had AML. So glad your daughter is doing ok now :)

Purplepeoniesdroppingpetals · 02/04/2023 16:18

Just registered. I hope that your relative gets the treatment that she needs.

spuddel · 02/04/2023 16:26

Just signed up. Praying your niece gets a match soon!

SamMil · 02/04/2023 16:27

I've registered too

DojaPhat · 02/04/2023 16:29

Just posting to remember to come back to this to register as I can't at the minute but will do so tomorrow!

Panjandrum123 · 02/04/2023 16:37

Am also already on the list, never been called upon. I hope a donor can be found. Sending all good wishes and hopes for treatment. 💐

Emotionalsupportviper · 02/04/2023 16:40

I'm too old (69), but am looking at the other ways to help eg raising donations.
I do hope your niece is blessed with a donor soon. It's a horribly worrying and distressing situation.

Topseyt123 · 02/04/2023 16:43

I'm too old.

Mumtofourandnomore · 02/04/2023 16:44

I’ve registered - I lost my mum to blood cancer two years ago, I should’ve done this ages ago, thanks for the prompt.

Hamster1111 · 02/04/2023 16:48

I'm already on the register and would happily donate if I'm ever called upon. I hope you find a match for her x

Morewineplease10 · 02/04/2023 16:51

I've registered.
Really hope your cousins little girl gets a match ASAP.

Fundays12 · 02/04/2023 16:52

I hope a donor is found. I just registered.

Moonflower12 · 02/04/2023 16:55

I've registered x

Whattt44 · 02/04/2023 16:55

Joystir59 · 02/04/2023 16:15

What's the upper age limit please?

55

nopuppiesallowed · 02/04/2023 17:00

I'm too old now but have circulated the request to our family WhatsApp group. I hope a match is found soon for your niece.

Shoeoholic · 02/04/2023 17:02

I’ve just registered for a pack- Hope a match is found soon.

FluffySlippers23 · 02/04/2023 17:05

I'm sorry I can't due to medical reasons. But hopefully this comment will bump the thread.

gettingoldisshit · 02/04/2023 17:08

Ive just registered. I hope your relative gets better soon