Daniel Greer: More than 8,000 register as donors after family appeal

An international charity dedicated to helping people with blood cancer has said about 8,800 people from Northern have registered as potential stem cell donors in the past week.

The DKMS charity said it normally received five to 10 people per week registering as a donor.

However, after an appeal from a Northern Ireland family seeking a bone marrow transplant for their teenage son who has acute myeloid leukaemia, there has been an "incredible spike" of people registering as a donor with DKMS.

Daniel Greer, 14, from Newry, began complaining of back and neck pain four weeks ago.

His parents took him to his GP and after blood tests, he was diagnosed with leukaemia.

"We have seen an incredible spike in the number of registrations from Northern Ireland as a result of the Greer family sharing Daniel's story," said Reshna Radiven, head of communications and engagement at DKMS.

"We have seen 8,826 registrations for stem cell donations in a week, compared to a typical week of five to 10 registrations from Northern Ireland.

"We would actively encourage anyone who has registered to return the home swabbing kit as soon as possible.

"We know 18 to 30-year old men are often selected as the first choice of donor - if anyone in that age group has not registered, we would encourage them to do so.

"We have been touched by Daniel's story, he is young and it is upsetting but there is an opportunity for him to live a normal life again if we can find a matching donor."

The spike in registrations was first reported by the Newry Reporter this week.

Source: NHS

Daniel's mother Anne said she was not "willing to sit back and wait" for the right match.

"It's like waking up in a nightmare," Anne told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback.

"To be told that your child has a potentially fatal illness, and you are looking at a well boy who climbs the Mourne Mountains, is an avid sportsperson, loves sailing, diving, swimming, kayaking, rugby and you are sitting looking at him going 'they have got this wrong'."

The Greer family has been appealing for people to sign up to register as a donor.

Daniel has received numerous blood and platelet transfusions to date.

"It's emotional, it is really hard to see your child sick and feel that you can't do anything for him," Anne added.

"I would appeal for anybody that is eligible to please sign up to the bone marrow registry and if you are not eligible for one reason or the other for that, even people who are ordinary blood donors or platelet donors.

"The blood or platelet donors are so good, already Daniel has been in hospital for four weeks in isolation, no outdoor life, no fresh air, that's hard going for a 14-year-old."

Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue found at the centre of certain bones in the body where blood stem cells live.

Blood stem cells produce all your essential blood cells, such as red blood cells to carry oxygen and white blood cells to fight infection.

Diseases such as some forms of leukaemia stop bone marrow working properly.

For these patients, the best hope of recovery is to receive a bone marrow transplant.

More than 2,000 people in the UK are in need of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant every year, according to the stem cell donor charity Anthony Nolan.

Some 75% of UK patients will not find a matching donor in their families and would require an unrelated donor, it said.

The process of becoming a donor involves a simple cheek swab with the results kept on a register.

For 90% of donations, stem cells are collected through the donor's bloodstream, while 10% are taken from a donor's bone marrow and involves a surgical procedure.

Daniel has completed 10 consecutive days of intensive chemotherapy and his family continues to hope a donor match will be found.

"If you know our Daniel, you'll know he never backs down or gives up easily," his elder brother James said in a social media post.

"He is battling through it like the little fighter he has always been."