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Fundraising gives hope to patients waiting for stem cell transplants

“DKMS is a charity that’s very close to our hearts because several of my colleagues have personal experience of, or close connections with blood cancer. I’m so proud of my team for raising more that £15,000 to help DKMS in their vital mission to give people with blood cancer a second chance at life,” said Euan Grant, Managing Director of Chasetown Civil Engineering Ltd.

Euan was speaking at a special event on Tuesday 17 October, hosted at Chasetown Civil Engineering’s headquarters in Burntwood, where he presented a cheque to Louise Clague, Donor Recruitment Manager for DKMS. The funds were raised by Euan and 23 of his Chasetown colleagues, who were sponsored to complete the Welsh Three Peaks Challenge from 9-10 June 2023. In less than 24 hours, the team finished the 17-mile route, climbing Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), Cadair Idris and Pen Y Fan. Many of Chasetown’s suppliers generously joined in the sponsorship effort.

DKMS holds the UK’s largest stem cell register. To date the charity is proud to have given 110,000 people around the world a second chance at life, and their families more time with their loved ones.  Before Euan and his Chasetown colleagues set out on their Three Peaks Challenge, the civil engineering firm also played host to a special DKMS stem cell donor registration event at their offices. But there’s still a long way to go to meet the demand for lifesaving stem cell donors.

Accepting the cheque from Euan, Louise Clague explained: “Every 20 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer. DKMS is so grateful to Euan and his team – the money they have raised will enable us to register more potential stem cell donors and work to find matches for people with blood cancer or blood disorders who need stem cell transplants.”

Louise, who accompanied Euan and his team in June, presented them with a collage of photos from their successful Three Peaks Challenge.

Chasetown Civil Engineering was founded by the late Noel Sweeney in 1974, and is part of the Tara Group. A special guest at the cheque presentation event was Noel’s widow Carmel Sweeney and his daughter Charmaine Sweeney: both are closely involved with the Noel Sweeney Foundation which carries on Noel’s legacy of charitable support.

Image Caption:  L-R Callum Bourke (Assistant Quantity Surveyor at Chasetown Civil Engineering), Euan Grant (Managing Director at Chasetown Civil Engineering), Louise Clague (Donor Recruitment Manager at DKMS) 

Things you didn’t know about blood cancer:

1. Blood cancers are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
2. Every year, nearly 13,000 people die from blood cancer in the UK
3. Over 2,000 people in the UK every year need a stem cell transplant from a genetic match.
4. Sadly, only three in ten UK patients will find a match within their family. Of those patients seeking a match with an altruistic stranger, four out of 10 are unable to find a match. This means every year thousands of people in the UK rely on a generous stranger registering as a stem cell donor with DKMS to save their life.

Find out more about becoming a stem cell donor at: www.dkms.org.uk/register