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#SaveOurShahera urges the UK’s south Asian community to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register

People adore two-year-old Shahera Khan. The toddler from Croydon, South West London, adores her older brother, five-year-old Amaan and loves playing with a toy kitchen.

The toy kitchen is at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Shahera has recently been diagnosed with a very rare immunodeficiency disorder. It’s a fault in her immune system and means Shahera is unable to produce enough white blood cells making her susceptible to infections.

Blood cancer charity, Anthony Nolan, is pleased to announce that their Scientific Director Professor Alejandro Madrigal, has been conferred with Honorary Membership of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and to the EBMT. He will be honoured with this prestigious award at the Opening Ceremony of 46th Annual Meeting of EBMT in Madrid in April.

An innovative three-way collaboration between blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, Plasticell, a developer of stem cell technologies and advanced therapies and the Francis Crick Institute, has been awarded Biomedical Catalyst funding to perform a project valued at £594,210. The funding is aimed at concluding pre-clinical development of an ex vivo expanded stem cell product derived from cord blood.  

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Today, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE/I) announced a new policy making stem cell transplants available to adults with Sickle Cell Disease when they have a matched sibling donor. Currently, stem cell transplants are only available to children.

This week the 800,000th potential lifesaver was added to the Anthony Nolan register. This means that 800,000 people in the UK have committed to making themselves available if ever called on for a stranger in need. This fantastic achievement is possible only through the altruism of our supporters and to them we are eternally grateful.  

Although it brings us closer to our target of finding a match for everyone who needs one, there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to providing donors for an increasingly diverse population. 

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Kathryn Cartwright died peacefully following an insurmountable infection in her liver, a few days before her 29th birthday.

In 2008 Kathryn was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). She went on to have two stem cell transplants – one from her sister and one from an Anthony Nolan donor.

Kathryn documented her treatment and recovery in a popular blog, with her honesty and sense of humour helping many to better understand the reality of stem cell transplant. Her determination and willingness to help others then led Kathryn to volunteer as one of our Young Ambassadors.

The family of a “cheeky” three-year-old from Harrow, diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, are appealing for more people of Asian descent to sign up as stem cell donors. Working with blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, the family want to diversify the stem cell register and give their little boy a fighting chance of finding the best possible donor. 

Veer Gudhka is one of only a few hundred people in the UK to have inherited a life changing illness called Fanconi Anaemia which results in a decreased production of all types of blood cells. 

A Leeds man who received a lifesaving stem cell transplant from a stranger 560 miles away, had an emotional Christmas meeting with the “brother” who cured his leukaemia.