Kirkcaldy mum’s stem cell donor plea to help saved her life after blood cancer diagnosis

Without a match, Rachael Nixon’s biggest fear is that her one-year-old daughter, Daisy, will grow up without knowing her - or feeling her love.

The 39-year old, who runs Chanix Millinery at John Smith Business Park in the town, knows that a stem cell transplant is her best chance of survival, but finding a successful match is a challenge.

She has paired with DKMS - an international charity dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders - to highlight her plight, and also raise awareness about the importance of joining the stem cell donor register. Her appeal is HERE.

There is hope on the horizon - her brother has a 25% chance of being a match and is awaiting being tested as a match, but Rachael hopes her appeal will find someone from the wider public who could step

Rachael’s story is deeply moving, not only because of her determination to survive for Daisy but also because of the outpouring of support she’s received from those around her. Friends, family, and even strangers have stepped forward, asking how they can be tested to help.

She has been overwhelmed by the kindness and wants to highlight how easy it is to become a stem cell donor. The process is simple — a swab test to register, and, if matched, donating is similar to giving blood. Every new person who signs up increases the chances of finding a match for someone battling blood cancer, whether it's for her or another patient in need.

As a children’s nurse and a successful businesswoman, Rachael admits she was “medically gaslighting myself," when her symptoms first surfaced. She didn’t initially believe something was seriously wrong, but, after months of extreme fatigue and regular blood transfusions, she was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis in early October. Now, she faces a race against time.

She said: “The only option for this cancer is a bone marrow transplant. My brother has a 25% chance of being a match, but if he isn’t, I’m relying on someone from the donor registry to save my life.”

Rachael has been deeply moved by the response from those around her.

“Since being diagnosed I’ve been so overwhelmed with the amount of people whose first response is, ‘can I be tested for you?’ which is just the kindest most loveliest of gestures,” she said. “I feel so thankful that I have so many people out there who would drop everything at the drop of a hat to save my life.

“Whilst I may find a match in my brother or a stranger who is already part of the donor register, it would be amazing for those who want to help and make a difference to join this donor register. You may not be a match for me but you could potentially be a match for someone else and save a life! It’s so easy to do! You will be sent a free package with swabs and if you are a match for someone all you have to do is a simple process! ”

She added: “In terms of Daisy, it's so scary to think, if anything happens to me now, she’ll have no memory of who her mum was… If I was to pass away, she’s never going to know the love that I have for her."

> Stem cell donors

Every 20 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. Each year, over 2,000 of these individuals will require a stem cell transplant. Many people assume that they can find a match within their family, but only about 30% of patients will have a compatible family member. This means that the majority of patients will need an unrelated donor - this is where DKMS steps in.

As an organisation, it focuses on registering potential stem cell donors through a remarkably simple process: swabbing the inside of the cheek to collect a cell sample. This sample is then tested in its labs to determine the donor’s HLA type, a critical factor in matching donors with patients. Typically, matches are more likely to be found within the same ethnic background due to the way HLA types are inherited.

Currently, only 60% of patients searching for a stem cell match will find one through the existing registry. Despite having registered more than one million potential donors, DKMS is committed to increasing these numbers, as patient outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Only about 7% of what it classifies as the eligible population in the UK - that’s aged 17-55 - is registered as potential stem cell donors, and this includes the three other organisations which register people in the UK of which DKMS is the largest contributor.

Donating is simple, and there are two options, the first being the most common used in about 90% of cases, called PBSC, which looks quite similar to giving blood. A cannula is inserted into each arm attached to an apheresis machine and then you sit in a chair for a few hours as your stem cells are filtered from your blood. The other option used in only 10% of donors, is a bone marrow transplant, the stem cells are collected from your pelvic bone under general anaesthetic, and the procedure typically takes about 45 minutes with about a one week full recovery time.

> About DKMS

DKMS is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer. Founded in Germany in 1991 by Dr. Peter Harf, DKMS and the organisation’s over 1,200 employees have since relentlessly pursued the aim of giving as many patients as possible a second chance at life.

With over 12.5 million registered donors, DKMS has succeeded in doing this more than 115,000 times to date by providing blood stem cell donations to those in need. This accomplishment has led to it becoming the global leader in the facilitation of unrelated blood stem cell transplants. The organisation has offices in Germany, the US, Poland, the UK, Chile, and South Africa.

DKMS is also heavily involved in the fields of medicine and science, with its own research unit focused on continually improving the survival and recovery rate of patients. In its high-performance laboratory, the DKMS Life Science Lab, the organization sets worldwide standards in the typing of potential blood stem cell donors.