Race against time
Above: Henry
FAMILY and friends of Henry Scot-Simmonds face an agonising race against time to save the life of the popular 24-year-old.
Henry was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia last week.
His only chance of survival is to have a bone marrow transplant.
His parents and sister Georgina are appealing for people across Gloucestershire to register as donors in case a match can be found.
Special donor sessions will be held on August 19 at Gloucester Rugby Football Club and on August 20 at Cheltenham Ladies College Sports Centre in Cheltenham.
The family were devastated when Henry was diagnosed last month.
Henry, a civil engineer from Charlton Kings, had become gradually more and more unwell as he worked in London.
He carried on at work until he finally collapsed.
Henry was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital where he was quickly diagnosed with the aggressive form of leukaemia.
He is already undergoing intensive chemotherapy but needs a bone marrow transplant within two to three months to save his life.
Speaking from hospital where parents Nick and Rowan are keeping a bedside vigil, sister Georgina, said: “Henry went to the doctor with lumps in his side but it was put down to fatty tissue.
“He became more and more unwell but carried on going to work.
“Eventually he collapsed with pneumonia and was taken to hospital where he underwent tests and leukaemia was confirmed.”
She added: “I cannot even put into words what we felt when the news came. I could not breathe and I just burst into tears.
“In a matter of hours your life is turned upside down.
“The thought of him suffering is bad enough and I cannot imagine my life without him in it.”
Henry is undergoing regular scans, intensive chemotherapy and is rigged up to a series of wires and monitors but his only chance of survival now is a bone marrow transplant.
Henry’s family and friends have been tested to see if they are a bone marrow match but results have come back negative.
Their last hope is to appeal to people between the ages of 18-40 to come forward to give a simple blood test to find a suitable donor.
“His courage is amazing,” said Georgina.
“I’m so proud of him - he accepts he has leukaemia and is determined to get better and we are determined to help him by appealing for donors to come forward get tested.”
Best friend Aaron Stuart-Kelso, from Leckhampton, travelled around the world with Henry during a gap year.
He said: “It’s unbelievable.
“Henry is such a popular and happy go lucky person.
“He still has his sense of humour and its hard to see him in this condition.
“He hopes to find a donor not only for him but for others in the same position.”
Donor sessions have been organised at Gloucester Rugby FC on August 19 and Cheltenham Ladies College Sports Centre on August 20 between 5pm and 8pm.
Karen Archer, Donor Recruitment Manager at the Anthony Nolan Trust, hopes individuals from the area will attend the event.
She said: “For the 16,000 people worldwide desperately in need of a bone marrow transplant, including Henry, a bone marrow donor whose tissue type matches their own could mean the difference between life and death.
“This is a real call to action for people in the Gloucestershire area - we need as many healthy people aged between 18-40 to come forward and sign up as possible”.
Anyone unable to attend the clinic can register by calling The Anthony Nolan Trust on 020 7284 1234 or visiting www.anthonynolan.org.uk for further information please contact Karen Archer on 07717 851522.