Sussex dentist searches for stem cell donor for brother with leukaemia

  • ITV News Meridian's Charlotte Wilkins met with Theo's sister Jacy

A Sussex dentist has launched an urgent campaign to encourage more people to sign up to the stem cell donor register following her brother's devastating leukaemia diagnosis in the summer.

Theo, 33, a talented DJ and documentary maker, started to feel breathless and extremely tired before blood tests revealed there was a problem.

He was diagnosed with Acute Myloid Leukaemia, which is an aggressive cancer of the white blood cells.

Since his diagnosis Theo has become one of the approximately 2,000 people in the UK waiting for a stem cell transplant, but there is currently no compatible match for him on the stem cell donor register.

  • Jacy Cleal, Theo's sister, describes hearing the news of her brother's diagnosis

With time running out, Jacy Cleal and her husband Josh Nicoll have teamed up with blood cancer charity DKMS to help save blood cancer patients like Theo.

They have joined other members of Theo’s family to launch an urgent online appeal, encouraging more people to undertake the quick and easy process of signing up as potential stem cell donors.

Registering as a stem cell donor is a quick and easy process involving a simple mouth swab, offering hope to blood cancer patients who are still urgently in need of a compatible stem cell match.

If you are aged 17-55 and in general good health, you're eligible to join the register with DKMS.

An online appeal has been launched to find a donor match for Theo. Credit: ITV News Meridian

DKMS spokesperson Deborah Hyde said: "If you are found to be a match for someone needing a transplant, then in nine out of ten cases, donating your stem cells is a simple process similar to giving blood.

"Every 20 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer, so you could be giving someone like Theo a second chance at life."

Jacy said: "It’s been a devastating diagnosis and it’s still hard to take in how quickly it all happened and how life- threatening it all is. Leukaemia is a long and painful rollercoaster.

"More than anything, Theo loves his friends, family and partner Ree (Rebekah), and we all adore him. Theo has been in hospital for months. It's extremely hard on him and us, as his support team. Above all, we just want Theo to survive this."

To find out more about swab kits and signing up to the register click here.

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