2 February 2010
Andrea is a wonderful husband, father and friend. He has a great sense of humour and loves to travel. Andreas enjoys life and shares that joy with others.
To receive a transplant, Andrea needs a "matched donor", that is a person with the same tissue type. Tissue type is a little like blood type, only a lot more complex, and much harder to match. Andrea’s known relatives have been typed and we have searched the available donor databases, but no matches have been found.
Tissue type is inherited - half from your mother and half from your father - and varies with ethnicity - some types are found only in specific ethnic groups. Here is where Andreas hope lies and where you can help. Andrea is of Greek origin; therefore, we're appealing to you and your friends and family to become a potential donor. Only a small saliva sample is needed, after completing a medical questionnaire - it really couldn't be easier! Similarly, should you prove to be a suitable match, bone marrow donation is also straightforward.
Andreas is receiving lots of support from his friends and family.  Now we need the community to rally round and help find the donor Andreas so urgently needs.
Leukaemia can affect any one of us and any time of life. The more potential donors we have on the register, the better chance of finding a match for someone who needs a transplant.
In today’s complex world there are few things that a person can do that so directly and so dramatically affect the life of another as donating bone marrow. Remember, unlike blood, each person’s bone marrow is different from most other people. In a manner of speaking, we are all members of small and exclusive clubs, and when one of our fellow members needs help, only we can provide it.
To become a donor volunteer and join the register, you must be:
-       aged between 18 and 40
-       in good health
-       weigh over 8 stone / 51kg
-       willing to commit to provide bone marrow donation to any patient worldwide who is a suitable match.
Please consider giving up a little of your time to attend The Leukaemia Society’s recruitment clinic on Sunday 11th April. 
For further information including confirmation of time and venue please Contact Us