Life savers could be found in weeks

Wednesday 01 August 2018

Drop in sessions for people to sign up to the Anthony Nolan register took place yesterday with lots of people turning up with queues of people prepared to be potential donors and more sessions to take place today.

Each year many people locally are diagnosed with types of blood cancer which require treatment from donor cells or bone marrow transplants and the drop in sessions were organised as an easy way for people to register and potentially help save a life.

Sarah Rogers from the Anthony Nolan trust said: "We are here to recruit donors to our register as potential life savers. This has been instigated by the family of Mark Fallaize who is in his early fifties and has children in their twenties and has recently become a grandad and he needs a life saving transplant and the majority of people in this position, around 70% do not have a member of their family who is a suitable donor for them so they rely on the Anthony Nolan register to find a matching donor."

Pictured: The appeal posters trying to find a donor for Mark Fallaize

Mark Fallaize, 53, who has myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and has been told by doctors that he urgently requires new stem cells from a stranger to rebuild his immune system, so he can fight infection and disease. Anthony Nolan have sprung into action and are now searching for a new matching donor for Mr Fallaize.

Mr Fallaize, who has worked for Guernsey Post for 31 years, was first diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in May 2016 and was treated with three courses of chemotherapy at Southampton General Hospital. He returned to work but last month he was told he had developed MDS. 

"My family were devastated when they found out about my diagnosis," he said. "They’ve shown great strength, solidarity and support, but I think it’s really hard for them – especially when I’m not around. I have a granddaughter who is two years old in August, and it’s so important to me that I’m able to spend time with her as she grows up."

He hopes people will register in case they can help him, or other people: "You might not be a match for me, but you could help one person out there who really needs you, and that makes it all worth it."

Pictured: Dan Airley with his form, lollipop and keyring following his registration.

Dan Airley was one of those who registered yesterday, he said: "It was really easy to do and all I did was give a mouth swab. It is really important that as many people as possible sign up. It is amazing to think you could potentially save a life."

Ms Rogers said: "We push all our recruitment into getting young men on the register as they are much more likely to be picked to donate as they generally produce more stem cells and are not going to be pregnant or breastfeeding. The consultant will always choose a male donor if there is one."

Potential donors could be found within weeks, Ms Rogers said: "We aim to get people onto the register within twelve weeks. So I am telling people who are registering that you could be a match right now, but equally you could be called as a match for someone in years to come for someone who is not born yet."

She continued by saying that they did manage families expectations: "We always stress to families that the likelihood of finding a match for a patient from a drive is very small, but what we do always stress is whilst we are here in Guernsey for Mark there are families in the States, families in Australia and all over the World doing exactly the same thing and adding to the pool of people on the register."

The Guernsey Friends of Anthony Nolan will also be holding two further drop in sessions today and you can attend and join the register - you need to be between the ages of 16 - 30 and in good health.

Wednesday 1 August
12:00 - 14:00- at the Digital Greenhouse

17:00 - 20:00 at Guernsey Post, Envoy House, La Vrangue, St Peter Port

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

To register as a potential donor go to the Anthony Nolan website here. 

Pictured main image: Sarah Rogers from Anthony Nolan outside the Digital Greenhouse where one of the sessions is taking place