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'Spit drive' hopes to find donor for mixed-race leukaemia sufferer 'Spit drive' hopes to find donor for mixed-race leukaemia sufferer
(about 7 hours later)
The family of a student who has been diagnosed with leukaemia are holding a "spit drive" to try to find a stem cell donor from an ethnic minority. The family of a student who has been diagnosed with leukaemia is holding a "spit drive" to try to find a stem cell donor from an ethnic minority.
Lara Casalotti, from Hampstead, is of Thai and Italian heritage and requires a donor from a mixed race person for a stem cell transplant.Lara Casalotti, from Hampstead, is of Thai and Italian heritage and requires a donor from a mixed race person for a stem cell transplant.
Volunteers are asked to go to the O2 Centre on Finchley Road on Saturday to join the bone marrow register.Volunteers are asked to go to the O2 Centre on Finchley Road on Saturday to join the bone marrow register.
Her family said a donor was required "urgently... to save her life".Her family said a donor was required "urgently... to save her life".
Global attentionGlobal attention
The 24-year-old was diagnosed with blood cancer in December.The 24-year-old was diagnosed with blood cancer in December.
Currently only 3% of donors on the register are from a mixed race background.Currently only 3% of donors on the register are from a mixed race background.
Writing on Facebook, Lara's family said her "unique heritage" meant "her donor is most likely to come from an Asian/mixed-race background".Writing on Facebook, Lara's family said her "unique heritage" meant "her donor is most likely to come from an Asian/mixed-race background".
"For Lara, and the majority of people who need stem cell transplants, it is a total stranger who provides them hope," they wrote."For Lara, and the majority of people who need stem cell transplants, it is a total stranger who provides them hope," they wrote.
People who attend the "spit drive" on Saturday afternoon will have to fill out a form and spit in a tube to register on the donor list.People who attend the "spit drive" on Saturday afternoon will have to fill out a form and spit in a tube to register on the donor list.
A campaign to find a donor, called Match4Lara, has gained global attention and led to a sharp rise in the number of people signing up as donors.A campaign to find a donor, called Match4Lara, has gained global attention and led to a sharp rise in the number of people signing up as donors.
Celebrities including Stephen Fry and JK Rowling have also given their support.Celebrities including Stephen Fry and JK Rowling have also given their support.