8-year-old Jasper’s plea for stem cell donor to save beloved grandad
Eight-year-old Jasper Humphries Brownbill has made a video to help find a stem cell donor for his much loved grandad.
His grandfather, Terry Brownbill, 69, a former journalist from Cambridge, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia - a type of blood cancer - in November last year after failing to recover from a bout of Covid and now has been told his only chance of recovery relies on a stem cell transplant.
But so far no matches have been found for the artist and cycling enthusiast on the stem cell register and his family is in a race against time to find someone who can help.
Now Jasper has been spurred on to make a video plea asking everyone to consider joining the register in the hope that a donor can be found - and he is publicising a sign-up drive at his school on Sunday 4, February – World Cancer Day.
Jasper’s mum Jessica Brownbill, 33, said; “My dad tested positive for Covid in November. But he was getting worse and worse – he couldn’t sit up or walk and his symptoms weren’t improving. I persuaded his GP to send him to the hospital, and within a few hours of being in A&E, we heard the devastating news – he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
“Unfortunately, chemotherapy won’t be enough to save him. In order to survive, my dad needs a stem cell transplant. Tragically, there is currently no match for him on the stem cell register.”
“Dad is being really brave, keeping positive and fighting as hard as he can. But there’s only so much he can do now.
“Jasper really loves his grandad and is missing being able to see him in person because due to my dad’s immune system being wiped out he can’t have children to visit at the moment.
“So Jasper is trying to help by persuading people to sign up to the register. We have to believe a match is out there and we just haven’t found them yet.”
The donor drive is taking place at Holywell C of E Primary school, Needingworth, PE27 4TF from 10am to 4.30pm on Sunday, 4 February.
People aged between 17 and 55 who are interested in joining the donor register will be asked to carry out a simple cheek swab by DKMS, an international charity dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
Jessica added: “Even if you can’t be a donor, please pop along, have a drink and have a cake and help raise some much needed funds”.
Visit dkms.org.uk/donation-explained/search-for-a-match/eligibility-to-register for more information on becoming a donor.