A selfless Scot has saved the life of a German stranger after being moved by the story of a dying man.
JohnPaul Wright, 39, was watching TV and saw a story about a dad the same age as him appealing for stem cell donors.
JohnPaul, from Greenock, said: “I was a regular blood donor so I followed the link and registered.”
While he was not a match for the man in the appeal, in November JohnPaul got a call from the charity DKMS, which runs registers for stem cell and bone marrow donors, saying he was a potential match for someone else.
JohnPaul said: “The charity took care of everything.”
After he was confirmed as a match, he had a medical to check he was fit and well and was given a donation date in January.
JohnPaul, an operations manager, admitted he was a bit anxious. But he said: “The old process was more invasive but now, with technology, for four days before you donate you take injections which boost stem cells.
“They do make you feel a bit flu-like, where you are a bit achy but without the runny nose or the temperature. Then you just go and give blood – just for a bit longer.
“They put the needle in your arm for four hours and extract the blood. It is put into a machine which takes the cells and your blood is put back in your other arm.”
JohnPaul was able to travel home the next day.
A month after he donated he received an update that the recipient was doing well.
JohnPaul said: “All I know is the person is from Germany and is an adult.
“I’m tied to the recipient for two years in case I need to give them stem cells again. After two years there is a possibility I will be able to meet them. I’ve already said I’d like to do that.”
He urged others to register, saying: “Everybody can do it but in the UK just two per cent of people are on the register compared to nine per cent in Germany.”
● Register at www.dkms.org.uk/en/register-now or www.anthonynolan.org
