A way of giving back

"My main motivation at the beginning was giving back," says James.

"My daughter Emilia needed weekly transfusions of either whole blood or platelets when she was ill with aplastic anaemia. Now my motivation is helping others like Emilia who are going through cancer treatment."

Platelet donor James Mackay has already more than given back – his 50 platelet donations mean he's helped countless people already. But his goals are lofty and his inspiration is deep: he's not done yet.

"Each platelet donation can help up to 12 children," says James. "As regular visitors to the Birmingham Children's Hospital, we know how important these donations are."

Emilia was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a serious blood disorder, after becoming very poorly at just 5 years old. She received life-saving blood and platelet transfusions as part of her treatment, but doctors said to get better she would need a stem cell transplant.

Stem cells are produced in bone marrow and can grow into different cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. For some people, a stem cell transplant is the only chance of being cured.

"Since Emilia became ill, we've made it a bit of mission to encourage people to give blood, plasma or platelets and also to sign up for the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry," says James. "It's so important for people to do all they can in order to help others."

In order for someone like Emilia to receive a stem cell transplant, a highly specific matching donor must first be found. That's why we are asking male and female blood, plasma and platelet donors aged between 17 and 40 to join the register.

Thankfully for Emilia, a donor was found in Germany through DKMS, another register which is aligned with the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry.

"By promoting a sense of hope and giving with organisations like NHS Blood and Transplant and DKMS, we hope that Emilia's story inspires people to think of others," says James. "One of the proudest moments is the work we did with NHS Blood and Transplant in helping change the approach for the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry. The programme is now on track to sign up around 30,000 new potential donors to the register in 2025!

"We decided as a family that it was vital for us to turn what was an awful situation for our family into a positive outcome – regardless of how things progressed."

James is also also working with DKMS, who have joined forces with the London Broncos to bring rugby league and giving together for Emilia's Big Day at the Cherry Red Records Stadium – not far from Tooting Donor Centre – on Saturday 6 September.

"We appreciate how lucky Emilia has been in finding a stem cell donor relatively quickly," says James. "We have been through such a range of emotions with Emilia's illness and it has been far from plain sailing.

"Thankfully, Emilia is doing really well after her stem cell transplant. There are always things being sent to test us with her recovery and it's been a long and bumpy road; but we have taken so much joy in little victories like when her hair started to grow back or when she was able to go back to school.

"She is back to school; back playing with her friends; back playing the drums and going to dance classes.

"There are other families out there who aren't so lucky, which is why it is so important to tell Emilia's story – one of hope – to both inspire people to sign up as potential donors and to help families going through a difficult and upsetting time know that they are not alone, and people do want to help.

To find out how to become a platelet donor, visit platelets.blood.co.uk.

To join the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, visit blood.co.uk/stemcells.