AN INSPIRATIONAL team of Redditch residents hosted a Stem Cell Donation Awareness Camp last weekend, welcoming more than 60 people who dropped by to register and take a swab test.
Joby Mathew, George Devassy, Jomon Mathew and Ashmy Jacob took the initiative to support Delete Blood Cancer charity through Upahaar – a charitable organisation aiming to increase the awareness of Solid Organ donation and Blood Stem Cell donation among South Asian community.
The group, who are all trained UPAHAAR volunteers, decided to take action after hearing about the plight of Vithiya Alphons.
The Cardiff University student has made headlines across the world with her appeal to find a stem cell donor match in the next two months.
The 24-year-old has acute myeloid leukaemia but her Sri Lankan background makes the search very difficult as not many South Asian people are on donor registers.
During the drop-in session, which was held on Mother’s Day at St Benedicts Social Club, between 60 and 70 popped by from 6.30pm to 9.30pm to register and complete a saliva swab.
If you are between 17 and 55 and have no major health issues, you can visit www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk to register.
A second camp will be held in Coventry on Sunday (March 13) at Radford Primary Academy between 9.30am and 1pm.
