Daniel De Gale
Encyclopedia
Daniel David De Gale inspired a major push to promote awareness of Leukaemia in the United Kingdom's black community when, as a child, his mother and stepfather launched a search for suitable bone marrow donors and a charity.
Daniel, born In Hammersmith London, but raised in the London Borough of Croydon
, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1993 at the age of six. Daniel was put on a 2 year course of chemotherapy which he completed in March 1995. But after being in remission for just 9 months, he relapsed in December 1995, when a routine blood test revealed leukaemia cells again. With no assurance that a second course of chemotherapy would be successful his mother, Beverley De Gale, sought a bone marrow transplant for Daniel.
Daniel's chances of finding a match within the UK were as low as 1 in 250,000 as there were only 550 African, African Caribbean, and people of mixed parentage on the UK register. Beverley and her partner, Orin Lewis, set up the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
in June 1996 to raise awareness, and to support and assist black and mixed parentage people suffering with leukaemia and all other blood related cancers. ACLT worked "in partnership with the Anthony Nolan
Trust," as it was reported in Daniel's obituary. The charity also became involved with recruiting potential donors from many influential organisations such as the Fire Brigade, the Black Police Association, colleges and universities.
Daniel was given a second course of chemotherapy but in September 1998 he suffered a second relapse. Subsequent publicity encouraged various celebrities to help encourage possible donors to come forward. Celebrities such as John Barnes
, Colin Salmon
, the Duchess of York
, Ian Wright
and John Fashanu
offered their support and subsequently became patrons of the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
.
Daniel finally won his battle against Leukaemia when on 16 June 1999 at the age of 12 he received a bone marrow 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 one of the first black persons in the UK to receive a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. As a result, many sufferers and their families are now coming forward as donors and receiving support from the ACLT.
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 ACLT 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. The ACLT has raised the numbers of potential Black/Mixed Race donors from 550 to approx. 27,000 and many lives have been saved in the process.
What is Bone Marrow
?
Bone marrow
is a spongy tissue found within bones. All blood cells are produced within the marrow. To sustain the necessary levels of blood cells the bone marrow
of an adult mist produce about 3,000,000 red blood cells and 120,000 white blood cells every second. All these cells originate from a small population of stem cells. Less than one in 5,000 of the marrow cells is a stem cell.
Many sufferers and their families contact the ACLT from the UK and around the world asking for financial assistance or to raise awareness and recruit potential donors in an attempt to find suitable donors.
Unfortunately, 24,000 sufferers require life saving bone marrow transplants at any one time.
The aim of the ACLT is to raise the required funds to start an independent ACLT Bone Marrow Register that will allow the charity to undertake world wide donor searches. The ultimate aim is to be able to fund the testing of the many potential bone marrow donors stepping forward.
The Registry will be UK based and working in conjunction with the world bone marrow registers, which will enable the ACLT to coordinate the implementation and planning of raising awareness campaigns within the UK for the under represented communities. The charity wants to start small and as funds start to come in will grow, allowing the register to then recruit greater numbers of potential donors from the under represented groups around the world and in future have ACLT laboratories enabling an in-house testing and research facility.
Daniel, born In Hammersmith London, but raised in the London Borough of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1993 at the age of six. Daniel was put on a 2 year course of chemotherapy which he completed in March 1995. But after being in remission for just 9 months, he relapsed in December 1995, when a routine blood test revealed leukaemia cells again. With no assurance that a second course of chemotherapy would be successful his mother, Beverley De Gale, sought a bone marrow transplant for Daniel.
Daniel's chances of finding a match within the UK were as low as 1 in 250,000 as there were only 550 African, African Caribbean, and people of mixed parentage on the UK register. Beverley and her partner, Orin Lewis, set up the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
The African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust is a United Kingdom based charity established in June 1996 by Beverly De-Gale and Orin Lewis, the parents of Daniel De Gale....
in June 1996 to raise awareness, and to support and assist black and mixed parentage people suffering with leukaemia and all other blood related cancers. ACLT worked "in partnership with the Anthony Nolan
Anthony Nolan
Anthony Nolan is a UK charity that focuses on leukaemia and Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It manages and recruits donors to one of the two bone marrow registers in the United Kingdom; the other register is the British Bone Marrow Registry run by the National Blood Service...
Trust," as it was reported in Daniel's obituary. The charity also became involved with recruiting potential donors from many influential organisations such as the Fire Brigade, the Black Police Association, colleges and universities.
Daniel was given a second course of chemotherapy but in September 1998 he suffered a second relapse. Subsequent publicity encouraged various celebrities to help encourage possible donors to come forward. Celebrities such as John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
, Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon
Colin Salmon is a British actor best known for playing the character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films.-Personal life:...
, the Duchess of York
Duchess of York
Duchess of York is the principal courtesy title held by the wife of the Duke of York. The title is gained with marriage alone and is forfeited upon divorce. Four of the twelve Dukes of York did not marry or had already assumed the throne prior to marriage, therefore there have only ever been eleven...
, Ian Wright
Ian Wright
Ian Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
and John Fashanu
John Fashanu
John "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
offered their support and subsequently became patrons of the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
The African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust is a United Kingdom based charity established in June 1996 by Beverly De-Gale and Orin Lewis, the parents of Daniel De Gale....
.
Daniel finally won his battle against Leukaemia when on 16 June 1999 at the age of 12 he received a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated American donor, Doreene Carney, at Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
. This enabled Daniel to live a full and fruitful life including successfully passing his exams at school and University.
Daniel was one of the first black persons in the UK to receive a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. As a result, many sufferers and their families are now coming forward as donors and receiving support from the ACLT.
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 ACLT 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. The ACLT has raised the numbers of potential Black/Mixed Race donors from 550 to approx. 27,000 and many lives have been saved in the process.
What is Bone Marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
?
Bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
is a spongy tissue found within bones. All blood cells are produced within the marrow. To sustain the necessary levels of blood cells the bone marrow
Bone marrow
Bone marrow is the flexible tissue found in the interior of bones. In humans, bone marrow in large bones produces new blood cells. On average, bone marrow constitutes 4% of the total body mass of humans; in adults weighing 65 kg , bone marrow accounts for approximately 2.6 kg...
of an adult mist produce about 3,000,000 red blood cells and 120,000 white blood cells every second. All these cells originate from a small population of stem cells. Less than one in 5,000 of the marrow cells is a stem cell.
Many sufferers and their families contact the ACLT from the UK and around the world asking for financial assistance or to raise awareness and recruit potential donors in an attempt to find suitable donors.
Unfortunately, 24,000 sufferers require life saving bone marrow transplants at any one time.
The aim of the ACLT is to raise the required funds to start an independent ACLT Bone Marrow Register that will allow the charity to undertake world wide donor searches. The ultimate aim is to be able to fund the testing of the many potential bone marrow donors stepping forward.
The Registry will be UK based and working in conjunction with the world bone marrow registers, which will enable the ACLT to coordinate the implementation and planning of raising awareness campaigns within the UK for the under represented communities. The charity wants to start small and as funds start to come in will grow, allowing the register to then recruit greater numbers of potential donors from the under represented groups around the world and in future have ACLT laboratories enabling an in-house testing and research facility.
External links
- African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust
- Cancer Active article on De Gale
- De Gale's story on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Home TruthsHome TruthsHome Truths was a weekly BBC Radio 4 programme which began on 11 April 1998 and was usually hosted by the DJ John Peel until his death in October 2004. In the Saturday 9-10am slot, it gradually became one of Radio 4's most successful programmes....