Stockport mother and neo-natal nurse Nicola McCormick is appealing for bone marrow donors to step forward after being told that she’ll need a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant.
Nicola, 29, was diagnosed with blood cancer Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in December last year. Her chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment appeared to be working until six weeks ago when doctors told her that her lymphoma wasn’t responding to treatment and her best chance of survival may be to have a bone marrow transplant.
Nicola says, “The news was all good and I seemed to be improving until about six weeks ago. Suddenly everything flipped on its head - from thinking that I was going to be cured, I am now being told that there are very few treatment options left. It really has turned my world upside down.
“My three year old daughter Madeline has taken it all in her stride – she says hello to everyone in the hospital and gives me lots of cuddles. All of our friends and family have been really supportive and I’ve even had people I don’t know message me and send their best wishes.”
Nicola’s only brother is not a match for her which means that she will need a transplant from an unrelated donor. Blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan is currently searching for a match for Nicola on its register of bone marrow donors.
The Match4Martin campaign are supporting Nicola’s appeal for donors and are holding an Anthony Nolan recruitment event at the Print Works in Manchester on 28th September from 12-6pm.
Nicola says, “I’m now in the position where my life could be reliant on a stranger donating their bone marrow to me. I want as many people as possible to sign up as donors – not just for me, but for everyone else out there waiting for a transplant. I never realised how easy it is to sign up as a bone marrow donor and how simple it is if you go on to donate – I wish everyone would do it.”
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, says, “Blood cancer affect anyone at any time - Nicola’s story shows how important it is that we can find a donor when someone receives the news that they need a bone marrow transplant. We especially need more young men to sign up as donors as they are the most likely to be chosen to donate.”
If you are aged 16–30, you can join the register online today.