Seventeen-year-old Mia Harris-Jones from Cardiff is championing a vital cause this World Cancer Day, urging more individuals to become lifesavers through blood and stem cell donation. Her powerful advocacy follows her own courageous battle with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), diagnosed in 2023, which required aggressive chemotherapy and over 40 essential blood and platelet transfusions.
A Journey of Resilience and Gratitude
Reflecting on her treatment at Noah's Ark Children's Hospital, Mia emphasised the profound impact of anonymous donors. "Those donations came from people I'll probably never meet, but they made a huge difference," she shared. "Blood donors helped keep me strong enough to carry on. Leukaemia changes how you see the world. It teaches you that your life can depend on the kindness of strangers."
Beyond her own recovery, Mia has become a beacon of support for others. She has actively comforted younger patients on the oncology ward and raised significant awareness about childhood and teenage cancers by sharing her story online and speaking at the Senedd. These remarkable efforts have earned her a finalist place for Young Volunteer of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Welsh Charity Awards.
Family Support and the Call for Donors
Mia's mother, Jade, highlighted the critical role transfusions play in treatment. "Transfusions are a regular and essential part of treatment, helping our children stay strong enough to keep fighting," she said. "To everyone who donates blood or platelets, thank you for giving families like ours hope."
With her chemotherapy now complete, Mia looks forward to soon ringing the bell to mark the end of her treatment. Alan Prosser, Director of the Welsh Blood Service, underscored the wider impact: "Stories like Mia's show the true value of donating, not only to the patient but also to their families and loved ones."
Addressing a Critical Shortage in Stem Cell Donation
The Welsh Blood Service is issuing an urgent appeal for more donors, particularly those aged 16 to 30, or 16 to 45 from Black, Asian, mixed, or minority ethnic backgrounds, to join the stem cell registry. This call is driven by a stark global statistic: three in ten patients worldwide cannot find a matching stem cell donor. For some minority ethnic groups, this figure rises dramatically to seven in ten patients.
How to Get Involved:
- Potential stem cell donors can register when giving blood.
- Alternatively, individuals can request a simple swab kit online for home delivery.
- Comprehensive information and various ways to support the cause are available through the Welsh Blood Service.
Mia's story powerfully illustrates how every donation can be a lifeline, transforming the trajectory of a patient's journey and offering invaluable hope to their family.
