Leicester teenage cancer patient Bethany Mickleburgh has welcomed a new drive to get more people to sign up to a register that helps to save lives.
The 14-year-old is recovering in hospital after undergoing a transplant of healthy stem cells which, it is hoped, will help her fight leukaemia.
- Bethany Mickleburgh
The healthy stem cells were taken from a woman in Germany who had signed up to a register of potential donors, and then found to be match for the teenager.
Bethany has already inspired thousands of people in Leicestershire to join the donor register.
Later this month, Leicester City Council is hosting an event, inspired by Bethany and fellow stem cell recipient Rik Basra, to encourage more people to sign up.
The event has been organised by deputy city mayor Councillor Rory Palmer.
In a letter written from her hospital bed Bethany, from Western Park, Leicester, said: "I am still recovering in hospital in Birmingham following my treatment, having received donor cells.
"I'm very pleased to have someone as influential as the deputy city mayor of Leicester following our campaign to help people that need transplants.
"Five years ago doctors could not find a good enough match for me and I had to have a different treatment that only worked for so long.
"Over the last few months an extra 3,000 good people have joined the register to try to help. I always knew it might not be possible, even with that number, but I was lucky.
"It's difficult to explain what this meant to me."
Bethany said she was pleased to hear that an event at the Leicester Tigers stadium last year where nearly 2,000 people signed up to the donor register had resulted in another leukaemia patient finding a stem cell match.
She said: "I have just heard that a young man who registered at the main clinic at the Tigers ground has been shown to be a match for someone and was overcome with emotion at the thought of being able to save a life.
"Hopefully this will be repeated many times with the people of Leicester that are now coming forward."
Leukaemia damages the body's stem cells, which in turn affects its ability to create healthy blood and to build an effective immune system, so the cancer spreads.
The point of the transplant is to give the recipient's body healthy stem cells so it can build an effective immune system that can fight the cancer.
The city council event for people to join the register, which is run by the Anthony Nolan Trust in the UK, will take place between 11am and 3pm on Wednesday, March 21, at the Town Hall.
Potential donors merely provide a saliva sample.
They might then be called on to donate blood stem cells if they prove a match for someone fighting leukaemia.
Both Rik, 53, and Bethany were diagnosed with leukaemia last year and told that a stem cell transplant was their last chance of survival.
Rik, a Leicestershire police inspector, had a blood stem cell transplant on Christmas Eve.
Coun Palmer said: "The whole city has been touched by the stories of Rik and Bethany and we share the families' delight that matching donors have now been found."
www.anthonynolan.org
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