Wife's plea to save husband's life

Time is running out for father-of-two Martin Jones unless his family can find him a perfect match.

His wife Karen is setting up a donor clinic in Brighton and Hove in the hope someone will come forward and provide the bone marrow cancer sufferer Mr Jones so desperately needs.

Mrs Jones, 37, said: "There is only a very small chance that someone who registers at this clinic will be a match for Martin but we are relying on a complete stranger to save his life.

"The more awareness we can raise the better. And hopefully the clinic can help other families."

Mr Jones, 41, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma seven years ago and, despite several chemotherapy sessions, doctors have told him only a stem cell transplant from a bone marrow match will save his life.

When he first heard the news Mr Jones, from Hangleton, Hove, experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.

He said: "First of all I had a sense of relief that I had finally been diagnosed after several years of unexplained illness but it was coupled with a general fear of the word cancer."

Neither his brother or sister were found to be a match and the promise of a donor from America fell through earlier this year.

The couple, who have two children Michael, four, and Hayley, eight, have set up a clinic with the help of The Anthony Nolan Trust which has its own bone marrow register.

They are urging as many people as possible who are serious about being donors to come along to the clinic on September 20 to register.

Mrs Jones will join the register in the hope she can help someone else, even though she is not a match for her husband.

Mr Jones, who is being treated at the Royal Free in London, said: "I had probably been suffering from the cancer for about ten years but it went undiagnosed for a very long time.

"I kept going back to the doctors but they thought it was just something viral. I was constantly exhausted and felt ill.

"Luckily it is a very slow-burning cancer otherwise I would have been dead. It means you are unlikely to die quickly but it is more difficult to find a cure.

"I have had various chemotherapies and I have also had a transplant of stem cells from myself. There was a 50 per cent chance of that working but unfortunately it didn't take.

"I did have a possible match in America earlier in the year but that fell through - we don't know why. That was devastating.

"If I find a match there is a 25 per cent chance that it will work. They have to find someone with the same tissue type. We have been searching everywhere. The Trust has access to worldwide registers, but so far nothing has come up.

"It has been really hard for the family. The children have got used to me being in and out of hospital and during the summer I couldn't do all the things I wanted to with them. I have an IV line attached to me so I can't go swimming with them in case of infections.

"All the lads from my football team, Kingston Broadway, are coming down to join the register. We have had so much support."

Mrs Jones said: "When the American donor fell through I just felt like we were sitting around not doing anything and feeling helpless. Then the Trust suggested to help me set up a clinic.

"There are so many people who suffer from this and hopefully this will help. The percentage chance of someone at this clinic is very small but we have to try. I was very nervous about being a donor but having a needle in your arm is nothing compared to the months of suffering someone goes through with chemo.

"We have tried to be really positive and strong. Martin is such a lovely character and has such a great personality that he doesn't let it get him down.

"Having the children around helps."

Every 21 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with a potentially life threatening disorder, like leukaemia or aplastic anaemia where often the only chance of a full cure is to have a bone marrow transplant.

Fewer than 30 per cent of these patients will find a family member with compatible blood stem cells to donate. For the rest, an unrelated donor is the only chance.

Lynsey Dickson, from the Anthony Nolan Trust, said: "The Anthony Nolan Register can never be big enough if we are to fulfil our mission and provide a transplant for any patient in the world in need of bone marrow.

"For this reason, it is so important that if you are eligible to join the register, to think seriously about it as the more people we have registering, the more chance we have of finding those life-saving matches."

To be able to register as a bone marrow donor, you must be between 18 and 40, in good general health, weigh over 8st, must not be severely overweight and be willing to help save the life of ANY patient you may match.

The trust is particularly looking for more young men and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The clinic will take place at the Hangleton Community Centre, Harmsworth Crescent, Hove, on Tuesday September 20 from 5pm to 8pm.

For more information about becoming a bone marrow donor, please visit the Anthony Nolan web site at www.anthonynolan.org.uk.

Or you can call the Trust direct on 020 7284 1234 or the 24-hour donor hotline on 0901 8822234.