Netball Family: Call to help 13-year-old Netballer find a blood stem cell donor

Through our Netball Family this week, we heard the story of 13-year-old, Worcestershire Netballer, Izzie, who has been diagnosed with two life-threatening blood disorders and is in urgent need of a blood stem cell donation. 

Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with a type of blood cancer. For many blood cancer and blood disorder patients, a blood stem cell transplant from a matching donor is their best, or only, chance of survival.

Unfortunately, finding a matching blood stem cell donor is like finding a needle in a haystack – and only 2% of the UK population are currently on the stem cell register.

Blood cancer charity, DKMS is currently searching for Izzie’s perfect match to potentially help save her life. All it takes to join the blood stem cell register is a simple cheek swab and three minutes of your time. 

Find out more about Izzie on the England Netball website. 

To find out more about eligibility and joining the blood stem cell register, or request a simple cheek swab kit, to potentially help Izzie or others in need, please click here.

Miss Ellie Gibbons

Head of Netball