18 year old George Bennett from Littlehampton near Chichester is calling for people to come forward and be tested as potential lifesavers after being diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disorder.
George was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia in December last year, after his mother Karen noticed that he was very pale and tired. She took him to his local GP for a blood test, and just four days later doctors told her that a blood stem cell (or bone marrow) transplant could be his last hope of survival.
Karen says, “George’s diagnosis hit us like a bolt of lightening – it’s absolutely terrifying how quickly your whole life can change. Many tears have flowed since that day. The diagnosis has affected not only George and ourselves but the rest of his family and friends too. So many people have told us they would happily give George their stem cells, but it’s not as simple as that – we need to find someone with a matching tissue type. We are relying on a complete stranger to come up as a match for our George – at the moment we just feel so helpless. As parents you will do absolutely anything you can to help your child and that is why we are now working with Anthony Nolan.”
George says, “At the moment, it’s very hard to find a match for me, partly because there aren’t enough people on the Anthony Nolan register. This is where you can help – if you sign up to the register, you could help save the life of one of the thousands of others like me who are still waiting to find a match.”
You can join the register at our recruitment event for George at Chicester College Student Union on 30th May between 11am and 3pm, where people can give a small saliva sample to sign up. If you’re unable to make it on the day you can register online www.anthonynolan.org/register
For the latest data and information, visit our
Facts & Stats page