The Karaiskakion Bone Marrow Register

The search for a donor for John Triteos and Anna Georgiou highlighted the shortage of donors of Mediterranean origin. This meant that, because of their genetic background, leukaemia sufferers worldwide were being denied the chance of life.

It was clear that the best chances of successful recruitment would be from a Mediterranean country. The Leukaemia Society (U.K.) worked very hard to make, this possibility, a reality.

On Wednesday 12th November 1997, President Clerides of Cyprus inaugurated the Karaiskakion Foundation, a register of bone marrow donors. The Foundation, which owes its creation to the continuous effort and encouragement of The Leukaemia Society (U.K.), is situated near the British Embassy in Nicosia, in a building donated by the Cyprus Government. The centre is in memory of Andreas Karaiskakis, a five year old boy who died of leukaemia, John Triteos and Anna Georgiou.

The Society’s idea to help establish a bone marrow register in Cyprus was supported by the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. The Trust undertook, free of charge, the training of the Bio Chemists that were to work at the Foundation, which now runs under the same lines as the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust.

The Karaiskakion Foundation is a great achievement.   The Foundation now has over 100,000 bone marrow donors registered; taking into account the population of Cyprus this is a world record.

The bone marrow register of the Karaiskakion Foundation is now linked and has access to bone marrow registers worldwide.

Many patient, from around the world have found a compatible donor through the Karaiskakion Foundation. A few years back many of these patients would not have had this second chance. The Karaiskakion and the hard work of all the people behind it have made this second chance possible.