Anthony Nolan

Karen Clarke-Taylor

Karen and Paul Clarke-Taylor do the London Classics for Anthony Nolan

Karen and Paul Clarke-Taylor do the London Classics for Anthony Nolan

My Story

Just before Christmas in 2015, my husband (Paul) received a call from Anthony Nolan to say that he had been identified as a possible match for somebody who needed a stem cell transplant. The match was confirmed and in March 2016 he donated 3.6 million stem cells to a lady whose identity we don't know; to put a name to the story we call her Sarah. A few months later he was contacted to say that Sarah needed a top-up donation, which he gave in October 2016.

Having made the two donations and anonymously exchanged cards with Sarah, all we could do was sit back and hope that everything would go to plan. Sadly, nine months later we received the letter that nobody wants to receive: despite the best efforts of the medical team and the two transplants she had received, Sarah hadn't made it.

Although the transplant wasn't the lifesaving treatment that we had hoped it would be for Sarah, there are many other people whose lives have been and will be saved by transplants arranged through Anthony Nolan. One of those people is my friend Hannah, who was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after graduating from university in 2012. Anthony Nolan matched her with a generous young man who also went on to donate his stem cells for a transplant as well as giving a top-up of his cells a few months later. Thankfully, the transplant was successful and Hannah has gone to raise awareness of stem cell donation through her amazing journalism (www.hannahpartos.com).

During 2023 I will be running the London Marathon and swimming the Swim Serpentine, while Paul will be cycling the 100 mile RideLondon, in memory of Sarah and in celebration of Hannah, so that I can raise funds to enable Anthony Nolan to continue its amazing work, matching ill people with potentially lifesaving stem cell donors. I will also be riding in memory of a beloved family friend, Simon. Anthony Nolan found a donor for Simon after he was diagnosed with lymphoma but sadly the transplant was not to be. Simon touched the lives of everybody around him and is dearly missed.

I would be grateful for any support that you can give me. Thank you x

Anthony Nolan

Raising for:

Anthony Nolan
159%

Funded

  • Target
    £2,000
  • Raised so far
    £3,187
  • Number of donors
    54

My Story

Just before Christmas in 2015, my husband (Paul) received a call from Anthony Nolan to say that he had been identified as a possible match for somebody who needed a stem cell transplant. The match was confirmed and in March 2016 he donated 3.6 million stem cells to a lady whose identity we don't know; to put a name to the story we call her Sarah. A few months later he was contacted to say that Sarah needed a top-up donation, which he gave in October 2016.

Having made the two donations and anonymously exchanged cards with Sarah, all we could do was sit back and hope that everything would go to plan. Sadly, nine months later we received the letter that nobody wants to receive: despite the best efforts of the medical team and the two transplants she had received, Sarah hadn't made it.

Although the transplant wasn't the lifesaving treatment that we had hoped it would be for Sarah, there are many other people whose lives have been and will be saved by transplants arranged through Anthony Nolan. One of those people is my friend Hannah, who was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after graduating from university in 2012. Anthony Nolan matched her with a generous young man who also went on to donate his stem cells for a transplant as well as giving a top-up of his cells a few months later. Thankfully, the transplant was successful and Hannah has gone to raise awareness of stem cell donation through her amazing journalism (www.hannahpartos.com).

During 2023 I will be running the London Marathon and swimming the Swim Serpentine, while Paul will be cycling the 100 mile RideLondon, in memory of Sarah and in celebration of Hannah, so that I can raise funds to enable Anthony Nolan to continue its amazing work, matching ill people with potentially lifesaving stem cell donors. I will also be riding in memory of a beloved family friend, Simon. Anthony Nolan found a donor for Simon after he was diagnosed with lymphoma but sadly the transplant was not to be. Simon touched the lives of everybody around him and is dearly missed.

I would be grateful for any support that you can give me. Thank you x