Clent Connect On Saturday 30th May, we threw open our doors for a special and extended hub cafe, to host a stem cell donor drive in partnership with DKMS – the international blood cancer charity working to give patients a second chance at life. The response from our local community was, quite simply, extraordinary.
For everyone at Clent Connect, this drive carried personal significance. The event was championed by Kate Gallimore, a local surgeon and Clent resident whose own story brings the cause powerfully to life. Kate was diagnosed with blood cancer after developing unexplained fatigue and a persistent rash. She found a matching donor on the stem cell register and, thanks to that unrelated donor, has made a full recovery. She is now back working in the NHS and has set up a community artists group, a studio, and a gallery.
Our donor drive was busier than we could have ever hoped – which, for anyone who knows us, makes all our volunteers even more proud of what we do here at Clent Connect. Fifteen cheek swabs were taken through the morning (registering fifteen potential new stem cell donors on the spot) with more people choosing to register for a home swab kit online – meaning the reach of the day has extended well beyond the cafe doors. We were also overwhelmed by the generosity of those who made financial donations to DKMS, helping to fund the vital work of adding more donors to the global register.
Events like this do not happen without volunteers, so our sincere thanks go to everyone who gave their time and energy for training and on the day itself; your dedication is at the heart of everything Clent Connect does. To every single person who stopped by, picked up a kit, donated, or simply took the time to find out more, thank you. You have no idea of the difference you may one day make.
If you missed the day and would like to register as a potential stem cell donor, you can order a free home swab kit at dkms.org.uk. It takes minutes. It could save a life.
What is DKMS?
DKMS is a global blood cancer charity with a single, powerful purpose: to delete blood cancer. DKMS launched in the UK in 2013 and has since registered more than one million potential blood stem cell donors in Britain, helping to give more than 2,500 people a second chance at life. Globally, the numbers are even more staggering: DKMS has registered over ten million potential donors worldwide, with 28% of all potential blood stem cell donors globally registered through them.
Registering is simple. Prospective donors receive a free kit to swab the inside of their cheeks. DKMS then analyses the sample to determine tissue type, adding the donor to a global register that gives blood cancer patients worldwide a better chance of finding a match. Registration is open to anyone aged 16 to 55 who is in general good health.