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Runners inspiredby boy's fight for survival
Stars join London Marathon line-up to help trust find life-saving donor for

AS the runners take to the streets for the London Marathon next month, Mohammed Shahbaaz's family will be watching with pride.
For it is the brave Bradford youngster's battle for life which has inspired a group of celebrities to compete in the race.
Big Brother star Orlaith McAllister and Holby City actress Patricia Potter said yesterday that the desperate search by the families of Mohammed and another child in Kent to find bone marrow donors, inspired them to take part.
The two television celebrities will be joined by seven other names from the worlds of television, music, journalism and cookery to take part in the run next month in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust.
The charity which helps match those in need of a bone marrow transplant with donors is raising money to launch a scheme to raise awareness amongst university students.
Mohammed, 12, suffers from a rare form of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia – Philadelphia Positive Chromosome – and is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant.
Since his diagnosis 18 months ago he has been in hospital four times a week for intensive chemotherapy.
His father, Shahid Parvaz, 38, said: "He is coping quite well but has lines going into his body and there are unpleasant side effects to the chemotherapy.
"Mohammed cannot walk more than 100 yards without pain and discomfort. He hasn't grown even a centimetre in 18 months. This is his main worry. Sometimes he does not speak for days but he is a brave lad – a trooper."
Mohammed is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant to give him the best chance of survival.
All five of his siblings have been tested but none is a match, so now he is desperate to find a match from the Anthony Nolan Register.
The big problem is that less than three per cent are Asian donors. Matching is performed on tissue type, an inherited characteristic, so ethnic origin is vital.
Mohammed has also had to endure another shock. Another boy with leukaemia from Bradford, eight-year-old Hamza Khan, who he became friends with at St James's hospital, Leeds, has since died without a transplant.
The other celebrity runners taking part in the fundraising effort are The Times columnist David Aaronovitch, chef Tom Aikens, BBC2 Match of the Day presenter Adrian Chiles, pop group Nizlopi bassist John Parker, award winning sommelier Gearoid Devaney and Phina Oruche and Chucky Venice from Footballers Wives'.
Reality TV star turned model Orlaith said she was inspired to support the Trust after meeting leukaemia sufferers Mohammed, of Lidget Green, Bradford and Joe Cawse, five, from Kent.
She said: "Meeting the two young leukaemia sufferers, Joe and Mohammed, really touched me. Their courage has made me determined to do my best in the marathon.
"The Anthony Nolan Trust is doing everything they can to find bone marrow donor matches for Joe and Mohammed.
"I want to help give Joe and Mohammed a fighting chance. By joining the bone marrow register, sponsoring me or making a donation to Anthony Nolan you can help too."
Patricia Potter added: "Young men and women from all ethnic backgrounds need to know that by joining Anthony Nolan's bone marrow register they can literally save someone's
life.
"The alternative – not finding a bone marrow donor for kids like Joe and Mohammed – is heart-breaking and too awful to imagine. So don't let it happen. I'm not naturally a sporty person. Training for the marathon has been really hard."
robert.sutcliffe@ypn.co.uk

yorkshiretoday

STARS TO FRONT MARATHON BONE MARROW APPEAL
By Rosamond Hutt, Community Newswire

HEALTH Marathon London, 30 Mar 2006 - 16:24

A charity has today revealed a team of celebrities will run the London Marathon to raise awareness of the chronic shortage of young bone marrow donors.

The stars are fronting an appeal calling on more young people to join the Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow register.

The runners include Holby City actor Patricia Potter; Match of the Day presenter Adrian Chiles; Big Brother 6 star Orlaith McAllister; and Footballers' Wives actors Phina Oruche and Chucky Venice.

Ms Oruche said: "It is a huge challenge to be running my first marathon in aid of the Anthony Nolan Trust.

"I am not a runner. However, my journey with running started when I was asked to run with children who were struggling with cancer. It really touched me. Their courage and strength ignited my passion to do all that I can to help.

She added: "I pray I am up to the challenge of the 2006 Flora London Marathon."

The charity particularly needs more young male donors on its register because men are able to provide more vital cells and evidence suggests that patients who are given cells by male donors experience fewer serious complications after the transplant.

However, people aged between 18 and 25-years-old account for less than 8% of the Anthony Nolan register.

The money raised from the marathon will fund a new project to recruit donors from universities across the UK.

Having more young people on the register would increase the chances of survival for thousands of leukaemia patients, including Mohammed Shahabaz, 12, and Joe Cawse, five, who both require bone marrow transplants.

An exhaustive worldwide search has not yet produced suitable donors for the youngsters who are suffering from rare forms of leukaemia.

Joe's mother, Sheridan, said: "There is a chance that Joe and many other patients could be saved if more young men join the bone marrow register."

Each year, the Anthony Nolan Trust saves the lives of more than 500 people who might have otherwise have died, as only one third of patients will find a compatible donor amongst relatives. There are around 7,000 people worldwide currently waiting for an unrelated bone marrow donor.

Through links with bone marrow registers in other countries, Anthony Nolan's work benefits patients both in the UK and throughout the world. The charity also undertakes vital research leading to improvements in the effectiveness and safety of bone marrow transplants.

Since 1974, the Anthony Nolan Trust has saved the lives of more than 4,000 people who have not been able to find a bone marrow match from a relative.

For more information about the work of the charity call 020 7284 8233 or visit http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk

Community Newswire