Latest news with #AnthonyNolan
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Family's appeal as boy told cancer has returned on 16th birthday
The family of a boy from Lincoln have launched an urgent plea for a stem cell donor after being told his cancer had returned on his 16th birthday. Reece Khan has been told he faced gruelling treatment and has been given a one-in-five chance of survival by family was now working with the charity Anthony Nolan to find a stem cell donor. Reece's mother, Selina Niman, 51, a care worker from Lincoln, said the news had "broken" the family. 'Horrendous' Reece was initially diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a rare cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, when he was diagnosis came days before the first Covid lockdown in March Niman said it was "absolutely devastating" for the family, adding: "It was horrendous. And because it was Covid, we couldn't have any visitors up here." Reece, who has a love of baking and watching food programmes, also had further complications due to having Type 1 was told he was cancer-free 18 months ago after three and a half years of he started getting headaches earlier this year and later found out his cancer had returned and spread to his family said his chemotherapy would now be much stronger and he would need radiotherapy and a stem cell Niman said: "We're just broken as a family. We just don't know what else to do or where to go. Words cannot explain how we feel now."I just want to jump in his hospital bed and swap places with him." As Reece is mixed race, it will be statistically harder for him to find a stem cell donor. Charity Anthony Nolan said people from minority ethnic backgrounds often had rarer tissue types which made it harder to find matching donors. Reece's brother, Kyle, 25, has been tested and is a half charity said it was searching worldwide registers to find a full match and give the treatment the best chance of Bentley, head of programme and community recruitment at the charity, said: "It's vital that we raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register."We know that younger stem cell donors give patients the best chance of survival. "That's why we're calling on healthy 16 to 30-year-olds to join the register now, so that people like Reece can have a second chance at life." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Leader Live
30-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Donor search for boy who was told cancer had returned on 16th birthday
Reece Khan faces gruelling treatment and has been given a one-in-five chance of survival by medics. His mother Selina Niman, 51, a care worker from Lincoln, said the news has 'broken' the family. Reece was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare cancer than affects the blood and bone marrow, at the age of 11 in March 2020, days before the first Covid lockdown. Mrs Niman said it was 'absolutely devastating' for the family, adding: 'It was horrendous. And because it was Covid, we couldn't have any visitors up here.' Reece, who loves baking and watching food programmes, also had further complications due to having type 1 diabetes. He was told he was cancer-free 18 months ago after three and a half years of treatment. However, he started getting headaches earlier this year and went to hospital for an MRI scan in April. The next day – his 16th birthday – Reece received the news that his cancer had returned and spread to his brain. His chemotherapy will be much stronger and he will need radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Mrs Niman said: 'He's scared now. I said, 'You beat it once, you can beat it again'. 'We're just broken as a family. We just don't know what else to do or where to go. Words cannot explain how we feel now. 'I just want to jump in his hospital bed and swap places with him.' As Reece is mixed race, it will be harder for him to find a stem cell donor. Reece's brother Kyle, 25, has been tested and is a half match. The family are working with the charity Anthony Nolan, which is searching worldwide registers to find a full match and give the treatment the best chance of success. Selina said: 'Reece is mixed race, white and Asian, and it's harder to find a match. 'That's why it's so important that as many people as possible join the stem cell register. Go to the Anthony Nolan website and order a swab. 'It's just a swab for the inside of your cheek. It's not painful. Stick it back in an envelope and that is all it takes. Literally a minute of your time and it would mean the world to me, to me and Reece.' Rowena Bentley, head of programme and community recruitment at Anthony Nolan, said: 'Reece's story is especially poignant because he was told about the relapse on his 16th birthday; the date that young people can join the Anthony Nolan register and potentially save a life. 'It's vital that we raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register. 'We know that younger stem cell donors give patients the best chance of survival. That's why we're calling on healthy 16 to 30-year-olds to join the register now, so that people like Reece can have a second chance at life.'
Wales Online
30-05-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Hunt for donor to save boy told cancer had come back on his birthday
Hunt for donor to save boy told cancer had come back on his birthday Reece started getting headaches earlier this year and went to hospital for an MRI scan in April Reece Khan with his mum, Selina Niman, 51 The family of a boy who was told on his 16th birthday that the cancer he had been free from for 18 months has returned and spread to his brain have launched an urgent plea for a stem cell donor. Reece Khan faces gruelling treatment and has been given a one-in-five chance of survival by medics. His mother Selina Niman, 51, a care worker from Lincoln, said the news has 'broken' the family. Reece was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare cancer than affects the blood and bone marrow, at the age of 11 in March 2020, days before the first Covid lockdown. Mrs Niman said it was 'absolutely devastating' for the family, adding: 'It was horrendous. And because it was Covid, we couldn't have any visitors up here.' Reece, who loves baking and watching food programmes, also had further complications due to having type 1 diabetes. He was told he was cancer-free 18 months ago after three and a half years of treatment. However, he started getting headaches earlier this year and went to hospital for an MRI scan in April. The next day – his 16th birthday – Reece received the news that his cancer had returned and spread to his brain. His chemotherapy will be much stronger and he will need radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Mrs Niman said: 'He's scared now. I said, 'You beat it once, you can beat it again'. 'We're just broken as a family. We just don't know what else to do or where to go. Words cannot explain how we feel now. I just want to jump in his hospital bed and swap places with him.' As Reece is mixed race, it will be harder for him to find a stem cell donor. Reece's brother Kyle, 25, has been tested and is a half match. The family are working with the charity Anthony Nolan, which is searching worldwide registers to find a full match and give the treatment the best chance of success. Selina said: 'Reece is mixed race, white and Asian, and it's harder to find a match. Article continues below 'That's why it's so important that as many people as possible join the stem cell register. Go to the Anthony Nolan website and order a swab. It's just a swab for the inside of your cheek. It's not painful. Stick it back in an envelope and that is all it takes. Literally a minute of your time and it would mean the world to me, to me and Reece.' Rowena Bentley, head of programme and community recruitment at Anthony Nolan, said: 'Reece's story is especially poignant because he was told about the relapse on his 16th birthday; the date that young people can join the Anthony Nolan register and potentially save a life. 'It's vital that we raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register. We know that younger stem cell donors give patients the best chance of survival. That's why we're calling on healthy 16 to 30-year-olds to join the register now, so that people like Reece can have a second chance at life.'
North Wales Chronicle
30-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Donor search for boy who was told cancer had returned on 16th birthday
Reece Khan faces gruelling treatment and has been given a one-in-five chance of survival by medics. His mother Selina Niman, 51, a care worker from Lincoln, said the news has 'broken' the family. Reece was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare cancer than affects the blood and bone marrow, at the age of 11 in March 2020, days before the first Covid lockdown. Mrs Niman said it was 'absolutely devastating' for the family, adding: 'It was horrendous. And because it was Covid, we couldn't have any visitors up here.' Reece, who loves baking and watching food programmes, also had further complications due to having type 1 diabetes. He was told he was cancer-free 18 months ago after three and a half years of treatment. However, he started getting headaches earlier this year and went to hospital for an MRI scan in April. The next day – his 16th birthday – Reece received the news that his cancer had returned and spread to his brain. His chemotherapy will be much stronger and he will need radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Mrs Niman said: 'He's scared now. I said, 'You beat it once, you can beat it again'. 'We're just broken as a family. We just don't know what else to do or where to go. Words cannot explain how we feel now. 'I just want to jump in his hospital bed and swap places with him.' As Reece is mixed race, it will be harder for him to find a stem cell donor. Reece's brother Kyle, 25, has been tested and is a half match. The family are working with the charity Anthony Nolan, which is searching worldwide registers to find a full match and give the treatment the best chance of success. Selina said: 'Reece is mixed race, white and Asian, and it's harder to find a match. 'That's why it's so important that as many people as possible join the stem cell register. Go to the Anthony Nolan website and order a swab. 'It's just a swab for the inside of your cheek. It's not painful. Stick it back in an envelope and that is all it takes. Literally a minute of your time and it would mean the world to me, to me and Reece.' Rowena Bentley, head of programme and community recruitment at Anthony Nolan, said: 'Reece's story is especially poignant because he was told about the relapse on his 16th birthday; the date that young people can join the Anthony Nolan register and potentially save a life. 'It's vital that we raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register. 'We know that younger stem cell donors give patients the best chance of survival. That's why we're calling on healthy 16 to 30-year-olds to join the register now, so that people like Reece can have a second chance at life.'
Powys County Times
30-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Donor search for boy who was told cancer had returned on 16th birthday
The family of a boy who was told on his 16th birthday that the cancer he had been free from for 18 months has returned and spread to his brain have launched an urgent plea for a stem cell donor. Reece Khan faces gruelling treatment and has been given a one-in-five chance of survival by medics. His mother Selina Niman, 51, a care worker from Lincoln, said the news has 'broken' the family. Reece was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a rare cancer than affects the blood and bone marrow, at the age of 11 in March 2020, days before the first Covid lockdown. Mrs Niman said it was 'absolutely devastating' for the family, adding: 'It was horrendous. And because it was Covid, we couldn't have any visitors up here.' Reece, who loves baking and watching food programmes, also had further complications due to having type 1 diabetes. He was told he was cancer-free 18 months ago after three and a half years of treatment. However, he started getting headaches earlier this year and went to hospital for an MRI scan in April. The next day – his 16th birthday – Reece received the news that his cancer had returned and spread to his brain. His chemotherapy will be much stronger and he will need radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant. Mrs Niman said: 'He's scared now. I said, 'You beat it once, you can beat it again'. 'We're just broken as a family. We just don't know what else to do or where to go. Words cannot explain how we feel now. 'I just want to jump in his hospital bed and swap places with him.' As Reece is mixed race, it will be harder for him to find a stem cell donor. Reece's brother Kyle, 25, has been tested and is a half match. The family are working with the charity Anthony Nolan, which is searching worldwide registers to find a full match and give the treatment the best chance of success. Selina said: 'Reece is mixed race, white and Asian, and it's harder to find a match. 'That's why it's so important that as many people as possible join the stem cell register. Go to the Anthony Nolan website and order a swab. 'It's just a swab for the inside of your cheek. It's not painful. Stick it back in an envelope and that is all it takes. Literally a minute of your time and it would mean the world to me, to me and Reece.' Rowena Bentley, head of programme and community recruitment at Anthony Nolan, said: 'Reece's story is especially poignant because he was told about the relapse on his 16th birthday; the date that young people can join the Anthony Nolan register and potentially save a life. 'It's vital that we raise awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register. 'We know that younger stem cell donors give patients the best chance of survival. That's why we're calling on healthy 16 to 30-year-olds to join the register now, so that people like Reece can have a second chance at life.'
