In November 2023, my close friend's brother, Nathan, was diagnosed with Very Severe Aplastic Anaemia. In other words, bone marrow failure.

Since then, he has been reliant on blood and platelet transfusions twice weekly and has been in and out of the hospital constantly with sepsis.

He is currently in UHW Cardiff where he will be undergoing a bone marrow transplant, donated by his brother, and my friend, Joe, in the hopes of a cure.

This disease affects two-in-a-millon people yearly worldwide and I believe more people should know about it. This disease can affect anyone at any time and, in many cases, the cause is unknown.

What is aplastic anaemia?

Aplastic Anaemia is a rare type of bone marrow failure. It's where the bone marrow stops creating all kinds of blood cells. It's really rare and affects 1 in every half a million people. 

Aplastic anaemia treatment is very similar to the treatment someone might have for leukaemia - but because it's so rare, families often don't have access to the same information and support.

The Aplastic Anaemia Trust is the only charity in the UK dedicated to supporting people affected by aplastic anaemia and funding research into this rare form of bone marrow failure.

By donating you'll be....

Funding Research
This year The AAT will be investigating new treatment options, that could offer hope to more people, and improve quality of life for patients and their families. 

Providing support

• Provide a young child with a story book that explains what aplastic anaemia is and what they can expect from a long stay in hospital - making the long and difficult treatment less frightening.
• Make sure there is always some one on the end of the phone. Having someone to talk to who understands, who you don't have to explain your condition to again and again. The AAT hotline ensures no one is alone.

Matt Bowen