A search for a stem cell donor is back on to help local mother Nikki Braterman.
MUM OF two from Brighton, Nikki Braterman, has been offered new hope following a consultation with cancer specialists at the Royal Marsden hospital in London.
In a statement released on Monday, her husband Geoff Braterman said: “Following a consultation at the Royal Marsden a new request has been put through to Anthony Nolan to search donor registers, not just in the UK but internationally, to find the best donor for Nikki. The plan will be to go ahead with a transplant as soon as it is safe to do so; the exact timing will depend on how Nikki responds to the current treatment plan to get the leukaemia in her central nervous system under control.”
The family now want to step up the campaign, which met with a huge response when originally announced, receiving over 250,000 website views in the first week.
Mr Braterman continued: “Because of Nikki’s mixed ethnic heritage, we really need to go as far afield as possible as Nikki’s donor is most likely to be South or East Asian or mixed heritage themselves.
“We are keen to encourage everyone to register, as even if people are not a match for Nikki, they may be for someone else who is in need, and people from BME and mixed race backgrounds the world over face more difficulties in finding a good bone marrow donor match.”
Nikki added: “The past few weeks have been a roller coaster. I am all too aware that the nature of my disease and how it is progressing makes it very dangerous and difficult to treat.
“After seeing the clinicians at the Royal Marsden I have a new treatment plan and new hope that I may yet beat this disease. Whilst the immediate priority is chemotherapy and radiotherapy to control the leukaemia in my central nervous system, I will need a transplant. A Perfect Ten Match is the best chance I have to beat this cancer once and for all. Please sign up as a donor and please pass on news of our campaign. I have two young children and everything to live for.”
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