Zak Riley, 21, from Mansfield, donated his stem cells to save someone's life after being on the Anthony Nolan register for several years. He received a call in December 2023 confirming he was a match and made the donation in January 2024.
A 21-year-old man from Mansfield has saved somebody's life by donating his stem cells after years on the register. Zak Riley, formerly of Carlton, joined the Anthony Nolan register when he was a teenager and was unsure if he would ever be a match, as most people on the stem cell register are never called upon.
"I would like to think it's something most people would do if they could," said a modest Mr Riley. Stem cell transplants are treatments needed for patients with blood cancers, such as acute myeloid leukaemia and blood disorders like aplastic anaemia. The process replaces damaged or diseased cells with healthy ones and gives the patient a new immune system.
However, despite being a match there were some delays. "It got postponed and then I was contacted again in December 2023 and then donated in January of this year," said Mr Riley. "Blood is drawn out of one arm and fed into an apheresis machine that filters the stem cells out of the blood. It also filters out some plasma, which the cells are suspended in. Stem cells and plasma are collected in a special bag while the red blood cells and remaining plasma is put back into the donor’s bloodstream through the second needle."
She added: "‘It’s important for more people to sign up to the register because not all patients have access to the treatment they need, and many don’t survive. Others must live with side effects of treatment. This is why our work building and diversifying the stem cell register is at the heart of everything we do.
Mr Riley's donation was a success and he remains on the register. He added: "It's unlikely that I will be a match with someone else, but people do donate twice so I will stay on it."
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