Woman with rare blood disorder seeks stem cell donor
Rafiya Sherin, 30, of Preston, Lancashire, has severe aplastic anaemia and requires a stem cell transplant for a chance at life. A blood cancer charity is hosting a registration drive in Preston.
Key takeaways
- Rafiya Sherin, 30, from Preston, Lancashire, is seeking a stem cell donor for severe aplastic anaemia.
- Her condition was diagnosed after symptoms initially attributed to food poisoning.
- A blood cancer charity is organising a stem cell donor registration drive in Preston.
- Only 7% of the UK population is registered as stem cell donors.
- Patients from ethnic minority backgrounds have a lower chance of finding a donor match.
Rafiya Sherin, a 30-year-old from Preston, Lancashire, is seeking a stem cell donor match after being diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia. She stated that a stem cell donation would offer her a "second chance at life."
Sherin's diagnosis came to light after she experienced symptoms she initially mistook for food poisoning while on holiday in Egypt in June. Upon returning home, her symptoms persisted, leading to multiple medical consultations where she was advised she did not require hospitalisation. Eventually, a blood test revealed her condition, which necessitates regular blood transfusions.
She expressed that a donor match would allow her to "live, travel, work and to do whatever I used to do that makes me who I am." Sherin noted that, in a way, the food poisoning may have "saved my life" by prompting the investigation that led to her diagnosis.
Working with the blood cancer charity DKMS, Sherin is promoting a registration drive in Preston this month. DKMS, described as the world's largest network of stem cell donor databases, reports that approximately 2,000 individuals in the UK are awaiting a lifesaving match. The organisation also highlighted that only 7% of the eligible UK population is registered as stem cell donors.
The charity further indicated that finding a suitable stem cell donor is influenced by ethnic background. DKMS UK stated that only 16% of the UK stem cell register comprises individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds, impacting the chances of patients like Sherin, who is of non-white heritage, in finding a match.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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