A Skidby teenager faces a race against time to find a matching bone marrow donor to provide the lifesaving transplant she needs to beat leukaemia. Doctors have told Emily Pierce, 18, that she desperately needs a bone marrow transplant after being diagnosed in September with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Now Emily, a student at Bishop Burton College who’s also just qualified as a gym instructor, is appealing for people to attend a special session set up by The Anthony Nolan Trust to join the charity’s bone marrow register, in the hope that her lifesaver can be found. The session will take place where Emily works, at Cottingham Parks Golf and Leisure Club, Woodhill Way, Cottingham, HU16 5SW between 4 and 8pm on Tuesday 8th December.
Emily’s mother, Joanne Pierce, said, “Emily has just spent five days in ICU in a very fragile position. When you are suddenly told to prepare for the worst it hits home that time is so important to anyone with this illness, as the situation can change so quickly. Every name added to The Anthony Nolan Trust register is a step closer to helping someone get that donor match as soon as they need it.”
Charlotte Connolly, Donor Recruitment Manager for The Anthony Nolan Trust, explained, “70% of patients needing a transplant can’t find a compatible donor from within their families. Emily is one of them and is relying on the generosity of strangers to come forward and sign up to be a potential donor. Please come along to find out more - if you’re not a match for Emily, you could save the life of one of 16,000 people in need of a transplant.”
