Amilah's story
9-year-old Amilah from Sussex has been diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a life-threatening blood disorder. Amilah needs a stem cell transplant, but heartbreakingly, no one in her family is a match.
Amilah’s family have launched the ‘Amilah Means Hope’ appeal: they are urgently pleading for more people to register as stem cell donors. You could be the match that helps Amilah — or someone else in need.
"It has been Amilah's overwhelming positivity, energy and strength that has been getting everyone else through this heart-breaking ordeal,” shares Amilah's mum, Mobeen, who simply wants her little girl to return to a normal childhood, free from constant hospital visits and uncertainty.
Tragically, Amilah’s Pakistani heritage means finding a matching stem cell donor is an even greater challenge. Mobeen explains: “Ethnic minority donors are severely underrepresented on the stem cell donor register.” While someone from a Pakistani background is more likely to be Amilah’s match – anyone could be her hero.
Mobeen continues: “Amilah's attitude on life has always been ‘to be a warrior, not a worrier’, which is exactly what Amilah has embodied every day. The sooner Amilah’s warrior donor is found, the more likely she is to win this battle with as minimal suffering as possible.
“Amilah has such enthusiasm for life, throwing herself into everything she does. Her kind heart and big smile lights up any room! What she loves most is being with her family, particularly her 15-year-old brother, and playing with her friends and cousins.
“She loves school, but unfortunately has had to miss a lot of time since she first started displaying abnormal bruising, because of numerous hospital visits and blood tests. In fact, missing school has been Amilah’s main concern throughout this journey so far!"
Amilah means hope in Arabic. By registering as a donor, you could give hope not just to Amilah, but countless others relying on the stem cell register.