Couple beat one in four million odds as both called to donate stem cells

Watch Antoine Allen's report.

A married couple from London and NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) are now calling on people of Asian heritage to become stem cell donors.

Nirav and Kanan Chokshi were called separately to donate stem cells to adult leukaemia patients in need of potentially life-saving transplants.

Mr Chokshi signed up to become a stem cell donor in 2016 and donated in 2018. After seeing his experience, his wife signed up and donated in 2024.

Against the odds, the pair have managed to offer a lifeline to two different cancer patients.

Mrs Chokshi, a 44-year-old school lunchtime supervisor, told ITV News: “I feel proud and blessed that we did that and we saved someone's life."

Nirav and Kanan Chokshi were born in India but now live in Hounslow, west London with their two children, Shiven, 15, and Siya, 11.

What's involved in donating blood stem cells?

People signed up to the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry have a one in 2,000 chance of being called to donate.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said there was a one in four million chance that a married couple would both be called up to donate.

NHSBT said it can be significantly more difficult to find a suitable match for patients of Asian, black and mixed ethnicity backgrounds due to the lack of suitable potential donors on the register.

Mr Chokshi, a mechanical engineer, told ITV News: "There are more chances of someone within your own community to match with you. I would encourage everyone to come forward (to donate their stem cells)."

Guy Parkes, head of stem cell donation and transplantation at NHSBT, said: "In order to find the perfect, potentially lifesaving transplant for as many people as possible, we need more people of Asian or black heritage and from mixed ethnic backgrounds to join the register – your stem cells could help save a life."

For more information visit www.blood.co.uk/stemcells

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