Peter Andre's Plea: Save My Relative's Life!

Singer Peter Andre is amplifying an urgent campaign to find a stem cell donor for his 72-year-old relative, Harish. Harish, who is of Indian heritage, has been diagnosed with high-risk MDS, a rare and life-threatening blood cancer, and requires a stem cell transplant. Andre shared the appeal on social media, emphasizing the difficulty in finding a suitable match for individuals of South Asian descent.

Harish's daughter, Sunny Andrea, married to Peter's brother Danny, is spearheading the campaign with the blood cancer charity DKMS. She highlighted the devastating impact of the diagnosis, noting her father's kind nature and his love for family. The family's efforts are focused on increasing the number of registered stem cell donors.

While Sunny is being tested as a potential donor, the odds of finding a match within the family are low. DKMS explains that only one in three patients find a family match, necessitating reliance on strangers. Currently, only 7% of the UK's eligible population is registered as stem cell donors.

Registering as a donor involves a simple process of answering health questions and providing painless cheek swabs. DKMS provides free home-delivered kits. While nine out of ten donations do not involve surgery and are similar to donating blood platelets, the need for a compatible stranger remains critical. DKMS offers support throughout the donation journey. Blood cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with nearly 13,000 deaths annually.