Runners donate life saving cells

DKMS Foundation Stem Cell donor promotion at Ferry Meadows. Helen Preston taking a smear sample with Helena Del Pino EMN-180601-165552009

Prestons Health and a group of volunteers for the charity DKMS set up a new stem cell donor registration event after the parkrun at Nene Park. The event was inspired by Helen Preston’s friend and colleague Helena Del Pino, whose daughter Iona was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 18 in 2017.

Helen said: “I became a blood donor as a result of seeing just how many blood transfusions Iona has needed but I was unsure as to what stem cell donation involved. I had never really thought about it before.”

Helen was delighted with the 31 new stem cell donors who registered after the parkrun, with an additional £252 raised towards the £40 cost for each new donor.