ACLT

Multiple Award winning ACLT (African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust) was established in June 1996 by Beverly De-Gale OBE and Orin Lewis OBE, parents of Daniel De-Gale. When the charity was initially set up, Daniel had already been suffering from Leukaemia for 3 years. Daniel’s parents were informed that his only hope of survival was to receive a bone marrow (stem cell) transplant. Due to the fact that stem cells contains racially specific characteristics, the compatible donor for Daniel could only be found within the black or mixed race population. At the time when the shattering news was revealed, there were just 550 black or mixed race people on the UK bone marrow registers. The Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital who was responsible for Daniel informed the parents that there was just an approx. 1 in 250,000 chance of Daniel finding a compatible donor. Daniel finally won his battle against Leukaemia when on 16th June 1999 at the age of 12 he received a transplant from an unrelated American donor, Doreene Carney, at Great Ormond Street Hospital. This enabled Daniel to live a full and fruitful life including successfully passing his exams at school and University. Daniel was in full remission and free of cancer, but due to complications with his health that led to multiple organ failure he died aged 21 on the 8th October 2008 in hospital surrounded by his family. The charity raises awareness which enables potential donors to come forward at the ACLT registration drives to be involved in the process of offering hope and a healthy future to someone whose disorder may otherwise prove fatal.