For those with blood cancer, a stem cell transfer could be their last chance. Help us find a #Match4Maggie and so many other loved ones around the world.

our mission

Our beautiful Maggie Banyard has Acute Myeloid Leukemia and needs a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, her brother Billy is not a match, so it’s a numbers game looking for a near ‘perfect match’ from a distant relative or complete stranger from the international stem cell registry. It could be anyone – regardless of gender, blood type etc. It could be you. To give Maggie – and all the other blood cancer patients in desperate need – the best chance of finding their match we urgently need to get thousands more people on that database.

Thank you,

The Banyard Family

How YOU CAN HELp

For UK and US Residents – REGISTER for a free swab test

It takes one minute to fill out an online form to check your eligibility and register for a free swab kit. The UK takes donors ages 18 – 55 & the US 18-40.

For AUS and NZ Residents – BOOK an APPOINTMENT to donate blood

Check your eligibility and book a blood donation appointment. Australia and New Zealand take donations from healthy 18-35 adults. Made sure you ask to join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry at your appointment.

Take a selfie

We’d love you to send a selfie of you with your swab stick or at you blood donation appointment to info@match4maggie.com. We will be building an artwork for Maggie from the pixel photos we get from all you.

sign the petition

Sign the Ur the Cure & the Australian Marrow Match petition to bring back cheek swabs in Australia.

donate

If you fall outside of the criteria for becoming a donor because of age or any other reason, you can help by donating money. It costs £40 to add each potential lifesaver to the global registry so whatever you can give will make a difference.

share the mission

Use your global network to grow the global database.

stem cell donation

In 90% of cases this involves ‘giving blood’, much as you would as a blood donor. You’ll be in and out of the collection centre within a day. In 10% of cases the stem cells need to be extracted directly from the hip bone by inserting a needle into the bone under a general anaesthetic. This would involve a night in hospital, but NO scalpels are involved! Either way, it’s a simple risk-free procedure that will directly save someone’s life.

did you know?

Did you know that 1/3 of blood donations help people with cancer?

Young men make particularly important donors – as they often weigh more, they literally have more to give. Ethnic diversity is also important as patients are more likely to find a match with a donor from the same ethnic background.

30% of patients find a match within their family. 70% need to find an unrelated donor through the Donor Registry