Eesa was in his first term of school when his parents were told he had aplastic anaemia and would need a stem cell transplant to survive – a treatment to replace his blood stem cells with new, healthy stem cells from a donor. Finding that suitable donor for Eesa was hard as an ideal match is more likely to be somebody from the same background and ethnicity.
A donor was eventually found and Eesa is now a happy, healthy little boy recovering well after his transplant.
This Ramadan, his family are working tirelessly to raise awareness and get more people, from more minority ethnic backgrounds, to sign up to the stem cell register, so every person in need of a stem cell transplant can find their lifesaving match just like Eesa did.
In the Quran it says saving one life is as if you have saved the whole of humanity
Mosan, Eesa’s Dad
Is donating stem cells permissible in Islam?
Yes, donation is halal. According to the British Board of Scholars and Imams (BBSI), scholars agree stem cell donation is permissible and considered a noble act (BBSIG-16: Organ Donation and Stem Cell Donation in Islam). Please speak to family, faith and community leaders if needed or refer to BBSI Guidance to read more about it. Stem cells gave Eesa another chance to live. This Ramadan yours could help someone like him.
What happens when I join the register?
Anthony Nolan matches strangers willing to donate stem cells to patients desperately in need of a transplant. Once you are on the register, if you match with a patient, we’ll get in touch and we’ll organise and pay for everything.
How you can help
Join the register
If you’re aged 16-30, join the stem cell register and you might just save a life. It’s free, quick and easy to sign up. You can join at an event or online.
Run an event
You could organise an event this Ramadan (or anytime!) to help more people like Eesa.
Get in touch with us at registerdevelopment@anthonynolan.org
Spread the word
You can also help by encouraging more people to join the register. Share the message on social media
Download these social media graphics to help spread the word
Fund a lifesaver

£15 could cover the cost of 8 cheek swab kits and postage to potential donors, in order to add more lifesavers to the stem cell register.
£40 could sign up a new lifesaving stem cell donor who could go on to save a life like Eesa's.
£100 can help fund the groundbreaking research our scientists are doing right now to discover new treatments.
A gift of £5 a month helps build a stem cell register that gives everyone the best chance of survival.
A gift of £10 a month helps lifesaving transplants to happen – giving as many people as possible a second chance of life.
A gift of £15 a month could help pay for our umbilical cord collection programme – making little lifesavers of babies only minutes old!