[Jansen Dela Cruz at the event, alongside Pippa from DKMS, a blood cancer and disorders charity, who supported and helped run the event.]
A nurse at Bath’s RUH who donated her stem cells to help save the life of someone she had never met has inspired dozens of colleagues to take action themselves.
Nearly 40 members of hospital staff signed up to the stem cell donor register at a ‘swabbing’ event held at the RUH in July. This was organised by Clinical Trials Nurse Jansen Dela Cruz, in partnership with blood cancer and disorders charity DKMS, following her own experience donating stem cells earlier this year – which she shared was one of the proudest moments of her life.
Increasing the number of people on the donor register helps to improve the chances of patients with blood cancer and other serious blood disorders finding a potentially life-saving match.
Jansen, who works in the RUH’s oncology team, was motivated to sign up to the stem cell donor register following her experiences of cancer both professionally and personally.
She said: “I’m working day-to-day with cancer patients and I’ve got relatives who had cancer and who have passed away. So it’s a really important cause for me.”
Several years after joining the register, Jansen received a call from DKMS to say she was a potential match for a patient in need of a transplant. Following medical checks, DKMS made arrangements for her to travel to a clinic in London to donate her stem cells.
For most donors, including Jansen, stem cell donation is a straightforward outpatient procedure that takes just a few hours. For patients with blood cancer and other disorders, however, it can offer a second chance at life.
Only around one in three patients will find a matching donor in their family, making volunteer donors on the register essential.
Although strict regulations protect the identities of donors and recipients, Jansen knows that her stem cells were loaded straight onto a plane across the Atlantic and received by an older man in North America.
Reflecting on the experience, Jansen said:
“I hope that after the stem cell transplant, he will be living his best life and ticking all the boxes in his bucket list of things to do. And enjoying time with his family.
“I highly encourage everyone to sign up, as it increases the chances of people getting matched. Saving someone’s life is one of the proudest moments that you could ever experience.”
Inspired by her experience, Jansen wanted to allow her colleagues to sign up and potentially make the same life-changing difference.
Almost 40 members of staff joined the event, reflecting the compassion and commitment that RUH staff bring not only to their work within the hospital but also to supporting patients and communities beyond it.
The initiative is another example of the many ways that RUH staff help to improve lives, whether through the care they provide every day or by taking action that could help save the life of someone they may never meet.
Anyone aged 16 – 55 who is in general good health can join the stem cell donor register through DKMS by completing some simple, painless mouth swabs and answering a few general health questions.
Anyone inspired by Jansen’s story can order a free home swab kit through the DKMS website: www.dkms.org.uk/register-now
