The family of a young man from Essex are calling on donors to join the Anthony Nolan register to give their son a chance of life.
Student Rob George, 21, has been battling leukaemia since June 24, 2011 and has been told he needs a lifesaving bone marrow transplant as a last chance of a cure.
Despite a world-wide search by Anthony Nolan, a matching donor has not been found and time is running out for Rob. His mum Lorraine George, dad Philip and brothers Tom, 28, and Sam, 26, have been tested but are not a match.
Lorraine George, says: “Rob is so strong; he props the rest of us up. He doesn’t want people pitying him and thinking ‘poor Rob’ and is the most positive, lively person. The rug was completely pulled from under our feet when we found out and we’re determined to do something to help.”
Rob, who plays with Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club, is undergoing intense chemotherapy at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge in preparation for a transplant.
The family are using Rob’s experiences to raise awareness of the need for more donors to join the bone marrow register. They are holding an event with Anthony Nolan in Colchester at Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club, Castle Park on Thursday 5th September.
Lorraine adds: ‘You think you’re untouchable, that this won’t happen to you. All we can hope is there are more people registering every day and somewhere someone can help us.”
Lynsey Dickson, Regional Recruitment Manager at Anthony Nolan, says: ‘We can only currently find a match for half the people who come to us in desperate need, so we need to recruit more donors to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register. We urgently need more young men to join the register to help us make more matches and save more lives. Rob is a young man with his whole life in front of him: just ten minutes of your time could give him that chance.’
Download the event poster here or join the register online.
Thursday 5th Sept
4.30 - 8pm
Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club,
The Pavilion, Castle Park,
Colchester, CO1 1UD
For the latest data and information, visit our
Facts & Stats page