Latest news with #DKMS
ITV News
3 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Family of Runcorn terminally ill dad organise event to register stem cell donors
The wife of a terminally ill man who has been given months to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia for the third time believes everyone should be placed on the stem cell register when they are born. Sean Turner, 39, a devoted dad and husband from Runcorn, was told from the moment he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) that he may need a stem cell register. But he "spent months" searching for a genetic match because of his mixed Greek and English heritage. Thankfully, a stranger in America came forward as a match, so that he could receive a transplant, which put him into remission, but it was not successful. Doctors say his options are now limited. Sean and his wife, Rebbeca, are now working with the charity DKMS, to raise awareness of the stem cell donor register and encourage people to sign up. 'A new drug trial is my last option really,' says Sean. 'It could give me some more time and I might eventually be able to have another transplant. "Despite everything, I'm feeling positive and hopeful. The transplant has given me more time with my family – I want other people to have that chance too." He added: "In the past year I've really seen how important it is for people to join the stem cell register. Nobody should end up needing to wait for a donor – nobody should be worrying about that. "Signing up to the stem cell register is so easy and takes less time than ordering a pint! It's just a few cheek swabs'. Rebbecca, Sean's wife, believes everybody should be automatically added to the stem cell register when they are born to help save more lives. "In Germany, for example, when you're born you're automatically put on that register," she said. "So if anything were to happen you're more likely to have a match. We didn't have a match for Sean, we had to wait months and months. "It's only one in 800 people from doing a stem cell drive who could even be a match for someone so we could potentially be saving someone's life today." DKMS Spokesperson Bronagh Hughes says, 'For patients like Sean, stem cell donors offer hope, as well as a crucial second chance at life. "Only a third of patients find a match in their family, so joining the register means that you could give someone more time with the people they love, and potentially save a life. "We'll be at Sean's charity football match to add people to the register, and answering any questions you have about signing up.' Joining the register is quick and easy, and involves a few simple mouth swabs. Anyone aged 17-55 and in general good health is eligible to join. "If you do get matched to a patient, in nine out of ten cases, stem cell donations are made through a simple, outpatient procedure similar to donating blood platelets." How do you donate stem cells and does it hurt? In about 90% of the cases the stem cells are taken from the bloodstream - just like giving blood. The donation takes 3-5 hours on one or two consecutive days. No surgery is necessary, you can usually leave the clinic the same day. Am I missing stem cells after the donation? The body reproduces the blood stem cells within about two weeks. The procedure of donating them is comparable to a blood donation, and does not lead to a permanent loss of stem cells. Who can donate? If you are aged between 17 and 55 years and in general good health, then you may be able to register as a blood stem cell donor. If you register when you are 17, you will not be able to donate blood stem cells yet, but on your 18th birthday, you will automatically be activated in our database and included in the global donor searches. Much more information on stem cell donation can be found on the DKMS website.
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Riverstone Mall run set to hit the ground running
MEYERTON – A brand-new running event is set to bring fitness enthusiasts and the community together when the Riverstone Mall Run takes place on July 27. The race offers both an 8km and a 5km distance, with the start scheduled for 8:00 at Riverstone Mall. Organisers promise a fast and flat route in and around the shopping precinct, making it ideal for runners chasing personal bests or simply looking for a fun, social outing. Participants can look forward to goodie bags, medals, and finish drinks, with unique race socks also included for entrants. Entry fees start from R150, and entries can be done online at The event will be held under AVT rules. The Riverstone Mall Run is the brainchild of event organiser Glen Gore, a former triathlete and former Vaal Triangle resident whose father once served as managing director of the Vaal Ster newspaper. 'We're excited to bring a quality running experience to the Vaal,' said Gore. 'It's a great route and we're looking forward to seeing runners and the community come together.' The event also carries a meaningful charitable component. On the same day, DKMS Africa will host a donor registration drive at Riverstone Mall from 7:00 to 11:00 to encourage people to sign up as stem cell donors in the fight against blood cancer. 'Every 72 minutes, someone in South Africa is diagnosed with blood cancer. Often, a stem cell transplant is their only chance of survival,' reads a DKMS poster promoting the drive. Mall tenants are also getting involved, with opportunities for local businesses to participate or support the event. For more information or to enter, visit At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Runners to hit the road at Riverstone Mall on July 27
Runners to hit the road at Riverstone Mall on July 27 MEYERTON – A brand-new running event is set to bring fitness enthusiasts and the community together when the Riverstone Mall Run takes place on July 27. The race offers both an 8km and a 5km distance, with the start scheduled for 8:00 at Riverstone Mall. Organisers promise a fast and flat route in and around the shopping precinct, making it ideal for runners chasing personal bests or simply looking for a fun, social outing. Participants can look forward to goodie bags, medals, and finish drinks, with unique race socks also included for entrants. Entry fees start from R150, and entries can be done online at The event will be held under AVT rules. The Riverstone Mall Run is the brainchild of event organiser Glen Gore, a former triathlete and former Vaal Triangle resident whose father once served as managing director of the Vaal Ster newspaper. 'We're excited to bring a quality running experience to the Vaal,' said Gore. 'It's a great route and we're looking forward to seeing runners and the community come together.' The event also carries a meaningful charitable component. On the same day, DKMS Africa will host a donor registration drive at Riverstone Mall from 7:00 to 11:00 to encourage people to sign up as stem cell donors in the fight against blood cancer. 'Every 72 minutes, someone in South Africa is diagnosed with blood cancer. Often, a stem cell transplant is their only chance of survival,' reads a DKMS poster promoting the drive. Mall tenants are also getting involved, with opportunities for local businesses to participate or support the event. For more information or to enter, visit At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Record
26-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Ayr funeral arranger abseils 100ft down Anfield Stadium to highlight 'life changing' experience
Chloe-Nicole Sheridan, a mobile funeral arranger for Co-op Funeralcare, on Crown Street, took the daring descent to raise awareness for the importance of joining the stem cell donor register. An Ayr funeral arranger has taken their commitment to fundraising to new heights - by abseiling 100ft down Liverpool FC'S Anfield Stadium in support of blood cancer charity, DKMS. Chloe-Nicole Sheridan, a mobile funeral arranger for Co-op Funeralcare, on Crown Street, took the daring descent to raise awareness for the importance of joining the stem cell donor register. The descent wasn't just a personal challenge; it was inspired by her own experience as a stem cell donor. In 2022, Chloe donated stem cells through DKMS, which she describes as a 'truly life changing' experience. 'Donating my stem cells to a patient in urgent need was deeply humbling', Chloe added. 'Since then, I've spoken at events like the Scotblood Conference to tell my story as a donor, but I wanted to go even further, so I signed up for the abseil.' The event saw six individuals descend Anfield Stadium in pairs. 'I felt terrified and even had a moment where I thought I couldn't do it, but I pushed through and made it to the bottom,' said Chloe. 'I felt so accomplished when I had completed it. My son even joked, asking how I managed to do it when I can't even climb down loft ladders!' Chloe raised over £110 so far, with a total of £1413 raised across the group. Every £40 donated helps DKMS register a new potential lifesaver. Chloe added: 'Anyone can save a life just by swabbing their cheek and joining the register.' Despite the success, Chloe joked: 'As much as it was for a great cause and I've hopefully helped to sign more donors up, I will be taking a very long break away from anything to do with heights.'
The Irish Sun
26-06-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
I went from planning my dream wedding to organising my funeral in just weeks – I thought these symptoms were a ‘cold'
BRIDE-to-be Salma Shah had been eagerly planning her wedding when she suddenly came down with a cold. The 45-year-old thought it was due to 8 Salma Shah went from planning her wedding to organising her funeral in a few weeks Credit: Jam Press 8 The 45-year-old initially put her symptoms down to stress Credit: Jam Press Salma, from 'I went from planning my wedding to sitting in a hospital writing my will and organising my funeral.' The rent and home ownership recovery manager was due to tie the knot with fiancé Marlon, 43, on May 3, 2025. But in January, her whole word came crashing down. Salma had started off with a When her neck swelled up, she suddenly started to fear the worst. 'I used to run in the morning, go to the gym in the evening and also do Muay Thai, but quickly, I found the energy zapped out of me,' she says. 'I thought it was the perimenopause, but I kept getting ill with infections and colds. 'When my neck swelled dramatically, I knew something much worse was going on. 'I kept telling my colleagues not to worry about how I looked, as I thought it was just the mumps. Charities have raised concerns over the population's 'non-existent' awareness of leukaemia symptoms 'But the doctors called that same evening telling me to get to the hospital immediately.' After a series of tests, Salma was diagnosed with More than 400 adults are diagnosed every year in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK. I want to spend the rest of my life with the love of my life. Marlon is the reason I'm fighting this battle Salma Shah Salma, who was forced to call off her big day, says: 'The weekend before, I was trying on wedding dresses and I had everything booked and planned. 'We were getting married in a few months, so I had no choice but to cancel the wedding. 'I felt absolutely gutted. 'I had been waiting to send out invites, but that same day, I had to send everything back – my dress, the bridesmaid dresses, all of it. 'I just sat there having a mini meltdown.' 8 Salma with the 'love of her life', fiancé Marlon Credit: Jam Press 8 She was diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer in January - four months before her big day Credit: Jam Press 8 Her hospital treatment has made her feet swell up Credit: Jam Press Doctors soon discovered the cancer had spread to her brain and spine, so she started chemotherapy right away. While it didn't initially work, after four rounds, the tumours had gone. Currently, there is less than one per cent of cancer in her bone marrow, though her body will continue to produce cancer cells until she receives a She's working with charity DKMS to help find her a donor, online and in-person, which will help save her life. But matches are rare, with only seven per cent of the UK on the register, and only 16 per cent of those are from an ethnic background like Salma. It is a race against the clock as she is quickly running out of treatment options; continued Warning signs of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ACUTE lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. It starts from white blood cells called lymphocytes and usually develops quickly over days or weeks. Around 790 people are diagnosed with ALL every year in the UK. But cases of leukaemia generally are rising. Since the early 1990s, incidence rates have increased by around 15 per cent in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK. There is a similar trend in the United States, particularly in teenagers. A report by the American Cancer Society estimated there will be 66,890 new leukaemia cases and 23,540 deaths in 2025. Dr Keith Pratz, MD, director of the Leukemia Program at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center, told Blood Cancers Today: "Incidence rates of leukaemia are rising in adults based on SEER data going back as far as 1975. "Many believe these are changes due to children and young adults living longer over that period, with death from other causes going down. "There is a small but meaningful increase in younger adults with leukaemia, and we need improved reporting of risks found in these young adults to improve our understanding of this issue." The most common symptoms of leukaemia include: Feeling weak or tired Shortness of breath Pale skin A high temperature or fever Picking up or not being able to shake off infections easily Bruising and bleeding easily Swelling of your lymph nodes Pain in your bones or joints Feeling full or pain in your tummy Weight loss Most people with these symptoms don't have leukaemia, but it's important to get them checked by your GP. Some people also experience no symptoms at all, or very minor ones which are easily brushed aside. Source: Cancer Research UK 'It's the kind of thing you think will never happen to you,' Salma, whose feet and legs have swollen in hospital, says. 'Without chemo, the cancer will grow very quickly. 'And there's no telling if it will get used to the treatment, so things could change quite quickly if I don't find a match. 'I'm relying on strangers to give me a second chance at life. 'Finding a donor would mean I can focus on my future, walk down the aisle and spend the rest of my life with the love of my life. 'Marlon is the reason I'm fighting this battle. 'For now, I want to use the time I have left well. 'Regardless of the outcome, we're still planning to get married once I'm in a fit enough state – donor or not.' 8 Salma has had chemotherapy and is now waiting for a life-saving stem cell transplant Credit: Jam Press 8 She was forced to call off her wedding but hopes to reschedule it if she finds a donor Credit: Jam Press 8 'I'm relying on strangers to give me a second chance at life,' she says Credit: Jam Press You can find out more about becoming a stem cell donor on the You simply need to answer a few questions online, order an at-home swab kit, return it, and join the register. If you are a potential match, a team member will be in touch. A blood sample is then taken. In 90 per cent of donations, stem cells are collected directly from the bloodstream in an outpatient clinic without surgery. In the remaining 10 per cent, the stem cells are collected from your pelvic bone under general anaesthetic. The collected blood stem cells are transplanted to the patient in a procedure similar to a blood transfusion. Your job is then done and you will have given someone a second chance at life.
