July 16, 2015

Team Margot’s fourth donor (thus far !)

By
Alexandra Casley

Alexandra Casley

ethnic makeup

Margot, pre diagnosis

We love hearing from people who joined the stem cell register, particularly those who did so after learning of Margot’s appeal and then go on to actually donate.

To our knowledge, it has happened at least four times (that we know of) to date, so on balance of probabilities, it’s likely that at least one person’s life has already been saved.

A few weeks ago we were contacted by Alexandra Casley, who wrote to us. Her email came out of the blue:

I am on day 2 of my G-CSF treatment pre-stem cell donation on Tuesday next week and I wouldn’t be going through this if it were not for the gorgeous Margot.  I followed her story closely – she reminded me so much of my own daughter, particularly her beautiful red curls, which match those of my little Gigi, and I was so so sad when I heard that she hadn’t made it.

I signed up to the register, not expecting ever to hear as you read all the statistics, saying that the chances of finding a tissue match are rather like a lottery win for the patient involved.  I was therefore overwhelmed to get a call from Delete Blood Cancer UK earlier this year, saying I was a potential match and asking would I go in for a blood test.

I did, I was a match and I’m going to be at Kings College hospital next week for the donation.

Blood is taken out from one arm...

Blood is taken out from one arm…

... and passed through a machine that removes all the peripheral stem cells...

… and passed through a machine that removes all the peripheral stem cells…

The first person I thought of when I got that call was Margot, and she, you and all the rest of her family will be in my thoughts as I am hooked up to the hospital machines.

Take care and I hope that your amazing work in drumming up more donors goes from strength to strength.

===

A little while later, we heard from Alexandra again, who was pleased to report back following the successful harvest of her peripheral stem cells:

The donation process went well yesterday – the nurses at Kings were amazing, the whole process went very smoothly and I was done in a day.  I had a visit from the Anthony Nolan volunteer as well and learnt that my recipient is an adult female.  She should have her stem cell transfusion very soon and I will be thinking of her lots.

... and then the blood (minus the peripheral stem cells) is returned to the donor via their other arm

… and then the blood (minus the peripheral stem cells) is returned to the donor via their other arm

I put something up on Facebook about donating yesterday and two friends have since signed up via your website, as has my brother, so that is good news.  I was amazed to hear how many of my friends have been on the register for years – just shows that the chances of a call up are small and it was just luck that I signed up when I did.

Thank you again for your amazing work.

THANK YOU so much Alexandra for sharing your experience with us & also these photos and for supporting Team Margot. It’s really fantastic & helps give purpose to what we do and make our efforts so worthwhile.

Please do continue to encourage Just One More to join the register, as and when you can.

Thank you.

Team Margot
Together, saving lives

To find out more about donation, click below:

Once I’m registered, if I am matched with someone, how do I actually donate ?

What’s the difference between a stem cell transplant and a bone marrow transplant ?

Husband to Vicki and father to Oscar (2007), Rufus (2008), Digby (2015), Humphrey (2017) & Margot (2012-2014)

Posted in: Journal