The Birmingham community is coming together to recruit bone marrow donors following a recent appeal from the family of two year old Gaurav Bains from Tipton. Gaurav’s family have been told that he needs a bone marrow transplant before Christmas, following a diagnosis of blood disorder Infantile Monosomy 7 Syndrome.
Sunny Bains, Gaurav’s dad, says, "The support from the Birmingham community has been overwhelming - it really makes us feel like we're not alone, that we're facing Gaurav's illness as a community. We hope that we'll be able to find a bone marrow donor for Gaurav and, by recruiting more donors to the Anthony Nolan register, we'll also be able to help the thousands of people around the world who need a bone marrow transplant each year."
Bhaveshree Chandegra, Asian Campaign Recruitment Manager at Anthony Nolan, says, “We are urging the Birmingham community to support the campaign for more Asian bone marrow donors. A bone marrow transplant is usually the last chance at survival for someone with a blood disorder. For a successful transplant, we need to find a donor who matches the person in need of a transplant. For people like little Gaurav, finding a matching bone marrow donor can make all the difference.”
People aged 16–30 and in good health can join the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register at the two recruitment events below. Joining the register simply involves filling in a form and providing a saliva sample.
Saturday 26th October 2013
3pm to 8pm
Guru Nanak Gudwara
130 High street, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 3AP
Saturday 9th November 2013
10am to 4pm
Nishkam Centre
6 Soho Rd, Birmingham, West Midlands B21 9BH
Amrick Ubhi from the Nishkam Centre, says, “We all have a responsibility to kith and kin and this includes our extended family of humanity. We also have a duty to help those around us. We need to mobilise all communities to support partner organisations like Anthony Nolan to help fellow human beings.”
The event on 9th November is being supported by the Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign. Leicestershire Police Inspector Rik Basra was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2009 and, following a successful bone marrow transplant, is now campaigning to recruit more donors to the Anthony Nolan register.
Rik Basra says, "Gaurav is just starting out in life, it seems so unfair that he should face this awful disease at such a tender age. It brings home the sad reality that blood cancer really can hit anyone. But the solution is very much in our hands: we need to come together as a community and make a difference. It really is so simple to register and donate stem cells. Please take a little time out of your day and sign up - you could give back a future to Gaurav and many others just like him.”