Omar is 21 and suffers from severe Aplastic Anaemia, a condition which, if left untreated he can potentially die from. The best treatment for this is the transfer of blood cells from a suitable donor. A bone marrow match was not found within the family, so he goes to the hospital every two days to receive platelets and blood.
In late 2016, after a motor accident, Omar’s family was shocked to discover that his body wasn’t recovering properly – which was soon diagnosed as Aplastic Anaemia, a rare blood disorder disrupting his immune system. Now Omar urgently needs to find a matching donor so he can have a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant. Most likely, it’ll be someone with African Caribbean heritage, like him – which makes his odds of finding that match more challenging.
Omar’s brother Daniel is leading the charge to find a match and they urgently need to get more people on the donor list. Daniel explained, “Despite the drastic change in his life, Omar has been an inspiration to us. He has taken this life changing news and is dealing with his condition with a positive attitude. Omar doesn’t allow his illness to hold him back. I admire how he manages his condition. He is in the hospital almost everyday. It’s hard for him and hard for us to see his health deteriorate. He has matured and grown before my eyes and I am proud to call him my brother. We are now at the stage where it is vital for us to find a suitable donor in order for him to recover and reclaim his quality of life.”
His family and friends are organising a fundraising evening of music and comedy on Saturday 5th August. However, the primary purpose of the evening is not just to raise money, as Omar is receiving good treatment from Whips Cross and St Bartholomew’s hospitals. Rather, it is also to bring people out to the event to spread information about the condition and to secure potential donors.
The Anthony Nolan Trust and the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust are supporting Omar. The latter will be present on the evening to accept tissue samples from donors. These samples will then be assessed to see if they are a match for Omar. If they are’nt, they will be placed on the Anthony Nolan register of donors from where they could potentially save the life of someone else.
There is already a massive line up for My Bro Needs A Donor ready to entertain and enlighten you on this important issue with Comedy, Poetry & Live Music from Travis Jay, Lion Heart, Andrew Bello, Mr Beezy, Pas Da Mic, Sarah Teibo, Chris Da Ambassada plus many more.
Tickets for the fundraising community concert on Saturday, 5 August 2017 at NTA Leyton, are Adults £8 or £10 on the door and Children £3.50. Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm start. GET YOUR TICKETS NOW and make a difference.
Get signed up to donate your stem cells (especially if you have Caribbean heritage).
You can join the stem cell register by clicking ONE of the links below.
16-30? Register at www.anthonynolan.org
17-55? Register at www.dkms.org
