An appeal has been launched to find a bone marrow donor for a five-year-old girl from Rickmansworth with a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia who has been given just two months to live.
Kaiya Patel hopes of finding a donor have been made even harder because of her ethnic background. The chances of finding a suitable donor in black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups is just 20.5 per cent because they only make up 15 per cent of people on the donor register.
Kaiya’s parents, sister and cousin have been tested but they are unfortunately not a match and now her family are appealing to others to sign up to give Kaiya the best chance in the time there is left.
There are three places that you can go to check if you are able to help:
- Anthony Nolan
If you are between 16 and 30 years old – requires a swab and is the best way to know if you are a match, telephone: 0303 303 0303. For more information go to www.anthonynolan.org
- NHS
If you are between 17 and 40 years old – requires a simple blood test at any NHS Blood donor centre but you must tell them you wish to join the British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) and is a quick way to know if you are a match, telephone: 0300 123 23 23.
- DKMS
If you are between 17 & 55 years old – requires a cheek swab test but is the slowest way (up to four weeks for basic results) to know if you are a match and then you would be called in for a blood test, telephone: 020 8747 5620
Please send results to to Nick at nickdesai@hotmail.com & her father Ruchit at Ruchit.Patel@ropesgray.com
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