A Doncaster resident in need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant is calling on the local community to join the donor register.
Narendra Rai, 31, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in September 2015 after becoming concerned about his constant tiredness and red spots appearing on his legs. Following three months of chemotherapy he got the all-clear, but sadly, last week Naren heard that his leukaemia had returned.
Naren is being treated at the Royal Infirmary Hospital in Doncaster. Doctors have told him that his best hope of a long-term cure is to find a stem cell donor, but because of his Nepalese heritage Naren knows that finding a match could be difficult. He is appealing to the local community in Doncaster to join the stem cell register in the hope that they may be a match for someone with blood cancer.
‘It’s hard for people from ethnic minority and mixed-race backgrounds to find a match,’ said Naren. ‘There is a lack of awareness among the Nepalese community about the urgent need for more stem cell donors. I hope I can raise awareness about how people can come together to help save each other’s lives.’
'It's hard for people from minority backgrounds to find a match'
Naren lives with his parents and wife Kamana, who works as a care support worker in the same hospital where Naren is being treated. Naren is a keen photographer and loves travelling. He moved to the UK in 2009 and worked as a security guard for Asos in Barnsley before his diagnosis.
‘I was so happy when I heard that I was in remission and took it as a win in my battle with cancer, so it was a shock when the doctor told me that the cancer had returned,’ said Naren. ‘I am now relying on a transplant from a stranger so that I can start living a normal and happy life.’
His cousin Erica added: ‘Learning that someone so close to you has been diagnosed with cancer is shocking and absolutely devastating. During this incredibly difficult time, Anthony Nolan has given us a ray of hope in finding a cure for this horrible disease through their search for a matching donor. It’s frustrating that there isn't much information regarding blood cancer and its cure within South Asian communities, including the Nepalese community. Therefore we are pushing and trying our hardest to raise awareness so that we can have more people understand and register to find matches for more patients.’
The facts of lifesaving
While donors don’t need to be of an identical ethnic background to be a match, it’s likely that people will find their match from someone with a similar ethnic background to themselves. Currently the pool of donors from ethnic minority backgrounds is small, and less than 5% of donors on the UK stem cell register are of South Asian ethnicity.
Lynsey Dickson, Anthony Nolan’s Regional Register Development Manager for the North East of England, said: ‘We’re so grateful to Naren and his family for raising awareness about the register despite the difficult time he’s going through. We desperately need to diversify the donor register so we are calling on people from the Doncaster area to join the register to make sure we can find a match for everyone who needs one.
'We especially need more young men and people from ethnic minority backgrounds to join as they are underrepresented on the donor register. Donating stem cells is incredibly simple but it could give someone with blood cancer a second chance at life.’
Anyone aged 16–30 and in good health can register to be a potential donor with Anthony Nolan and will receive a free ‘spit kit’ in the post. After posting the saliva sample back their DNA will be typed and they will be notified if they are ever a match for someone in need of a transplant. Ninety per cent of the time, donating is a virtually painless process similar to giving blood.