Student's Stem Cell Plea

A 24-year-old medical student with leukaemia pleas for stem cell match or will die in two months.

17:10 29 February 2016

Medical student Vithiya Alphons is critically ill and is badly in need of stem cell match. In her last ditch to save her life, she has taken to social media where she pleaded for stem-cell donor.

 

The 24-year-old noticed the first symptoms of her condition in a lecture at Cardiff University where she began to feel unwell. Later on, she diagnosed with aggressive leukaemia. She was told by doctors to find a stem cell match or she will die in two months time.

 

The blow came after her chemotherapy. She said: “I was in so much pain, vomiting six or seven times every day, and had every side effect possible, but I tried to stay positive.

 

“I felt normal again, I’d been home for three weeks and my hair was growing back. I felt so positive.

 

“My nurses, consultant, everyone, thought we’d beaten it.

 

“But unfortunately, further tests showed the leukaemia was still there in my blood and I’d definitely relapse in under a year unless I had a stem cell transplant.

 

“It was so upsetting and unexpected.”

 

She added: “I knew it was going to be difficult because there aren’t many people from South Asian backgrounds who are signed up as donors.

 

“I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason.

 

“Maybe it will make sense one day. In the meantime I’m determined to raise awareness in my community.

 

“Even if it doesn’t help me, it could help someone else.”

 

Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, said: “Vithiya is a bright and inspirational young woman and somewhere out there, there’s a potential lifesaver who could give her a lifeline by donating their stem cells.”