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Leukaemia Battle: Teen Finds Match After Family's Call
17 Dec, 2025
Summary
- A 16-year-old boy with leukaemia has found a stem cell donor match.
- His family organized drives, leading to over 700 new donor sign-ups.
- The transplant is scheduled for mid-January after he achieved remission.
A 16-year-old boy from Bromsgrove, Leo, diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, has received life-changing news: a stem cell donor match has been found. The anonymous donor's match means Leo will be admitted for a transplant in mid-January. This discovery comes after his family's dedicated efforts with the blood cancer charity DKMS to increase donor registrations, resulting in over 700 people signing up.
Leo’s mother shared her joy, describing the news as a "fantastic" Christmas gift. She highlighted that Leo had also achieved remission from the cancer. While thankful, she acknowledged the intensive preparations ahead, including further tests, chemotherapy, and a six-week isolation period to ready Leo for the transplant. She will remain by his side throughout his hospital stay.
Leo, who was studying electrical engineering, began experiencing fatigue and unusual bruising before his diagnosis. His family and DKMS continue to raise awareness, as approximately 2,000 blood cancer patients in the UK are still awaiting a donor match. Interested individuals can sign up for a free swab kit via the DKMS website.
