‘Been there, done that, got the T-shirt’ - Luke's Donation Story

 Luke joined the Anthony Nolan stem cell register in 2013 after loosing his uncle to multiple myeloma. Few years later he became a donor himself. Here is his story:

How it all started...

I joined the Anthony Nolan register back in 2013, at a Lincoln Marrow 'Give a Spit' event.

This was not my first time hearing about Anthony Nolan; my late uncle, Graham Shaw, was diagnosed with cancer (multiple myeloma) in approximately 2010. He received a self-to-self stem cell procedure and went into remission for 2 years.

Unfortunately he relapsed, but was then matched with a donor from the Anthony Nolan register and received a donation in early 2013 – which worked until he contracted a lung infection in hospital that he could not fight.

As soon as I was old enough I joined the Anthony Nolan register, simply because of the sense of hope that was given by that donation to all of the family.

I joined the register in his memory, in the knowledge that I might never be needed. But if that day should come, I would be there just like the donor, and Anthony Nolan was for my uncle.

Becoming a Match...

That day came with a text message asking me to get in touch – I was pleased to hear that out of everyone on the register I was a match.

My family were extremely proud, and a little worried, due to it happening alongside my final year of university. Everyone understood the process very well, due to my uncle's experience – some of them had even been tested to see if they were a match during his illness. They were extremely supportive with my decision to donate.

I purposely did not tell my aunt until after the donation. That phone call was a hugely special moment.

I told some close friends, as well as my family, about what I was going to be doing and the question always came: ‘How will that procedure affect you?’.

Although not a concern to me, as I wanted to help, I did read and re-read the documentation sent by Anthony Nolan. However the visit to my donation centre – and the fantastic nurse there who talked me through every step – made it clear that donating was not as scary as those around me had thought.

After completing a home blood test, then a hospital pre-donation checkup, I was all set to begin the process. The nurse gave me all the information I needed about stem cell donation (PBSCT) and answered any questions I had. I even got to meet some other lifesavers that day, too.

On the run-up to the donation nurses visited me at home to give little injections and then I travelled to hospital to begin my donation. I have certainly felt worse pain, and I was able to carry on studying and going about my day.