A 25 million: Young blood cancer patient to find their Savior

Leukemia-patient Lara Casalotti needed for a life-saving bone marrow donation, a genetic twin. On the Internet, the young wife launched an almost hopeless campaign. Even Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling and the British Prime Minister David Cameron made for Lara – with success.

The complaints came slowly. Only Lara Casalottis leg, then the hip pain. As the 24-year-old London student, visited last December, finally the doctor, came the devastating diagnosis: Lara suffered from an aggressive Form of blood cancer, acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In order to survive, need you within four months of a bone marrow transplant, predicted the medical profession at that time. "This was a great Schock", Lara says.

The Transfer of bone marrow is often the only Chance to cure the dangerous disease. However, for the Transplantation patient in need of cells of a person with matching tissue characteristics, a so-called genetic twin.

A third of patients find a donor in the family

The prospect of success is among people of the same origin as above. But Lara’s parents have a Thai-Chinese and Italian roots. This ethnic Mix made it difficult to find a suitable stem cell donor values. Worldwide, there are more than 25 million registered donors, but only a few of them have a similar genetic Background such as Lara.

A third of patients, among which many children and young people are, find a donor in their own family. Lara’s not had this luck, and also her only brother, Seb was out of the question as a donor. The young woman had to rely, as the majority of the patients on the help of Strangers. The prospect of a suitable donor is not according to the German bone marrow donor file (DKMS) is too high: Generally every fifth Patient finds a donor. For Lara, with their particular genetic Background, the chances of rescue were, according to their families extremely poor.

The campaign achieved a tremendous resonance

But family and friends were not discouraged and took the mug for a Savior. It is the proverbial search for the needle in the haystack: In a large campaign &quot began;Match4Lara" (Hits for Lara), called you via video messages, Facebook and Twitter, people all over the world, to register as stem cell donors. Even Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling and the British Prime Minister David Cameron made for Lara – with success.

In the UK alone, more than 20 000 new donors came forward within weeks, as the blood cancer Foundation "Anthony Nolan" tells. The increase was "beispiellos", the organizers explain. The registration is simple: a cheek swab or blood sample. Even the transplant is done mostly without SURGERY, and donors remain DKMS-information anonymous.

Lara: "It was very berührend"

Even in far-away Thailand Lara’s driving relationship to the campaign: monks, soldiers, and students were lining up to be in databases incorporated – and to potentially save a life. "The response was phänomenal", told Lara and her eyes light up. From all over the world people have written their own destinies divided. "It was very berührend", she says.

At the beginning of February, the salvation came finally, Lara found a matching donor. "It is amazing and wonderful that this Person is a 25 million ist", the young woman is happy in a video message on Youtube. "If everything goes according to Plan, I can soon transplant unterziehen", she adds.

The Situation was life-affirming Mission

But a hit it should not remain. Lara wants to go on the bone marrow donation, attentive and, above all, genetic twins of ethnic minorities. "It is really important that people register as a donor lassen", she also emphasized that "You could save someone who is in a similar Situation as me."

The depressing Situation for the life-affirming Mission, it also facilitates your brother, Seb. "It is a joint success, the people have for Lara and thousands of others out there is something bewirkt", the 20-Year-old says, and encourages each to register. In this case, was so simple that stresses Seb, "to spucken&quot in a Cup;.