Mum's plea for people to join stem cell register in hope of finding life-saving donor for daughter Emily

Emily Land, 21, has acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been told she needs a bone marrow transplant in order to survive.

In the urgent search for a donor, her mum Kirstie Plenderleith, 52, is encouraging people to be tested to see if they could save Emily’s life.

Kirstie says: “She's got no immune system so she can't go out and do anything. All her friends are out, she should be out having the time of her life.

"It’s out of my control and I can’t do anything for her – we’re just relying on people to come forward so we can find a match. It’s so hard when you can’t be that person to do it.”

The family’s world was turned upside down last year after Emily’s mum spotted inexplicable bruises on her legs.

Having contacted the doctor, she was called to Seacroft Hospital for tests, and just hours later Emily was told she needed to attend St James’ Hospital.

They were given the devastating news and treatment was to begin immediately.

Emily, a young law apprentice from Oulton, was diagnosed in October 2021 but was ringing the end of treatment bell at St James’ Hospital to celebrate overcoming the illness in July after undergoing chemotherapy.

She returned to work for one day and it was then noticed that bruising on her leg had returned.

Emily received the devastating news that her cancer was back, and was even more aggressive than before, leaving her in need of a life-saving donation.

Kirstie says: "To get the all clear and then for it to come back, it was just horrific. She was absolutely broken, and she is really, really scared.

"Because she knows what’s coming, it’s worse. And the thought of not being able to find a donor is unbearable.”

She adds: “They said the only chance of survival is a bone marrow transplant. We’ve tested family members; her sister isn’t a match, I’m too old, her dad’s too old. She needs the transplant in order to survive.”

Emily is now undergoing intense chemotherapy, but needs a stem cell donation from a stranger to save her life.

Blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan is working with her family to appeal to people to join its stem cell register.

“We need people to sign up,” Kirstie says. “They need to be between 16 and 30 and all they need to do is go online and register.

"Then they’ll get a pack sent out to them. It’s a mouth swab – that's all it is. Even if it didn’t match Emily, it might match someone else who needs a transplant.”

The mouth swabs are taken and then assessed to see if the person could be a suitable donor. If someone is identified as a potential match for a patient, then the charity will get in touch and people will be asked to donate stem cells via blood, in most cases, or bone marrow.

Leeds United supporters attending the forthcoming match against Arsenal will also be able to see if they can help Emily, as there will be swabs being taken outside the Jack Charlton (East) Stand at around noon on October 16.

The club have also rallied round Emily by giving her a signed shirt to mark her 21st birthday.

Emily has also received support from ladies’ fashion store the Dressing Room, in Oulton, which hosted a charity event to raise money for Anthony Nolan.

And her family and friends are also holding a raffle to both raise awareness of the donor register and to raise money for Anthony Nolan, through @emilysraffle on Instagram. Prizes will be drawn on October 16.

The family have put their plea for donors on social media, with the posts being shared hundreds of times.

Anthony Nolan says it recruits people aged 16 to 30 to its register because research has shown that younger donors increase a patients' chance of surviving.

As well as using its register to match potential stem cell donors to those who need a stem cell transplant, the charity also carries out ground-breaking research to save more lives and provides information and support to patients after a stem cell transplant.

To sign up to the stem cell register, visit https://www.anthonynolan.org/help-save-a-life/join-stem-cell-register