Just uploaded a new FIT TO SPIT clip – Beatbox style!

All you young fit men out there – we still need your help. Here is why:

Our fantastic treasurer – Sharon Berger – is now unfortunately in need of a stem cell transplant – and needs a suitable donor URGENTLY.

No perfect match has been found since mid-December – so we are searching for new donors, in the hope to find a better match.

Sharon was going to start azacitidine – whilst waiting for a suitable donor – but due to a severe infection over Christmas, the azacitidine treatment was not possible.  She has now had to start chemotherapy instead.

If a suitable match is not found in the next 6 weeks, Sharon will need to take the risk of going ahead with a bone marrow transplant with either cord blood or her son’s stem cells – both not an ideal match.
This means the risk of complications and the bone marrow failing is much higher and chances of survival quite lower.
Even with a perfect match, transplants can fail.

So… here is what you can do to help:

Register as a donor on the Anthony Nolan registry if you are aged 16-30 years old.  You will be sent a spit kit – very easy.
http://www.anthonynolan.org/What-you-can-do/save-a-life/Online-application.aspx
General enquiries: 0303 303 0303

If you are already on the registry – make sure your contact details are up to date.

If older that 30 – contact the British Bone Marrow Registry: http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow/qa/index.asp#howcan – they accept donors up to the age of 50 years old.
Any questions call the Donor Helpline: National Blood Service 0300 123 23 23

If you or someone you know is expecting – the cord blood can be donated at birth – just need to register at http://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/cordblood/

If you can’t donate in person: Please share this page as widely as possible.

Your action might help to increase Sharon’s chances of a successful transplant.

You can encourage people to register as a group, with colleagues, neighbours, fellow students.

Below you will find further information about donating stem cells – which can save someone’s life.

Do something amazing – and give the gift of life to someone who needs it urgently – be it your family, friends or a complete stranger.

All further details are explained on the Anthony Nolan website – incl how to register, what happens if you are a match for someone, the 2 options for donating and how you will feel. http://www.anthonynolan.org/What-you-can-do/save-a-life.aspx

As Sharon is of jewish origin – The Jewish Chronicle – and the jewish community is particularly keen to help.
As TJC article below specifies, Sharon’s best match would be an Ashkenazi Jew, with heritage from Russia and Lithuania.  But we encourage everyone to register and check if they might be the match she needs.

17 Dec 2012

Sharon will be having 4 weeks of chemo first to reduce her blast count – then move onto the stem cell transplant.
Thank you for helping us help Sharon – and many others who need their perfect donor match.

UPDATE 20 Dec 2012
As no suitable donor has yet been found – Sharon will be starting a 3 month treatment with azacitidine – in the hope to slow down the progression of the disease – and to buy more time before the transplant.
We hope to find a better match in those 3 months.
Please don’t stop sharing this information!

Update 08 Jan 2013
Still no good donor – despite many people coming forward.  We need to pursue the search urgently.
Azacitidine treatment not possible, as Sharon had a severe infection over Christmas.
She now had to start chemotherapy.

Thank you

2 further articles from the Jewish Press:

http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/national/c-19196/race-against-time-to-save-mum/

http://totallyjewish.com/the_jewish_news/view/c-19200/jewish-news-jn-776-10012013/

 

If you are connected to students – please tell them about the search.

 

 

 

 

 

 

London Standard article – 11/01/2013

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/lucy-tobin-mock-all-you-like-but-social-media-can-be-a-considerable-force-for-good-8447376.html

 

Article from 15/01/2013 – Londonist

Charity Shout-Out Of The Day
A new section in which we highlight a different charity or appeal you might be interested in. Send ideas to matt@londonist.com

Every day in this article, we highlight the places in London where you can donate blood in London. But have you heard about blood stem cell donation? Those with leukaemia and other blood diseases can be saved with bone marrow transplants, but they need to find a donor with suitable cells. If you’re 16-30, the best thing you can do is join the Anthony Nolan register. You’ll be sent a ‘spit kit’ so the lab chaps can work out your cell type, which then enters their database to aid the hunt for future donor matches. Those over 30 can also donate, but should discuss it at a blood donor clinic first. You could be the last chance for someone on death’s door. This appeal was nominated by Jonni Berger, who’s currently seeking a donor to help his mum Sharon Berger (Twitter campaign #Spit4Mum).
http://londonist.com/2013/01/things-to-do-in-london-today-15-january-2013.php

Wanted: Bone marrow for Jewish mother

By JPOST.COM STAFF 01/13/2013 18:03

London family turns to social media to help find donor for mom undergoing chemotherapy.

http://www.jpost.com/JewishWorld/JewishNews/Article.aspx?ID=299437&R=R1

London Metro article – 16/01/2013:

Here is a clip on what it means to donate stem cells:

This lady for example would not be here today if not for the donation of some stem cells by a complete stranger:

Click here for Facebook page.
Twitter: Hashtag #Spit4Mum – set up by Sharon’s children.

This is Sharon’s son’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jonnibgood

MORE INFORMATION AND VIDEO CLIPS ON  STEM CELL DONATION – incl what it means for the donor:
http://www.mdspatientsupport.org.uk/news/bone-marrow-donation/

Here is a collection of press articles around the Sharon Berger donor campaign.Her children Jonni and Caroline have been working tirelessly to give interviews and set up donor registration events all over the country.
Sharon had intensive chemotherapy – and is battling on – and the search for a donor continues so that the transplant she so desperately need can go ahead.

Jewish Herald Article