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Islanders aged between 16 and 30 are being urged to give up time on Father’s Day to potentially save the life of a local dad with blood cancer.
The Jersey Friends of Anthony Nolan are holding an appeal on Sunday at Springfield Stadium for locals to register themselves on the stem cell donor list.
One of the people hoping to find a match is Tony Ferreira, who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer in 2017.
Pictured: The Jersey Friends of Anthony Nolan have shared a poster in both English and Portuguese.
Mr Ferreira, who has lived in Jersey for almost 20 years having moved to the island from his native Madeira, had to make fortnightly trips to a London hospital for treatment for three years after his diagnosis with Sézary syndrome and remains in need of a stem cell transplant.
His wife, Osvalda, with whom he has a 17-year-old daughter, said: "We stay hopeful and would be so grateful for people to spare a little of their time – it would mean so much to us as a family because it could change Tony's life, and ours, forever."
The Jersey Friends of Anthony Nolan said the appeal was aimed at those in good health in the 16 to 30 age bracket.
The café will be open between 10:00 and 16:00, with attendees needing to scan a code into their phones, fill in a form and allow cheek swabs to be taken so that they can be added to the register.
Pictured: Attendees will need to scan a code into their phones, fill in a form and allow cheek swabs to be taken so that they can be added to the register.
Tracey Hughes from the charity said: "This does not mean that people automatically go on to donate stem cells – it means the person's name is added to a register of thousands of other people use worldwide who are also willing to be a potential match for someone with a form of blood cancer.
"Many Jersey residents have either been recipients of a stem cell donation, or have themselves been donors, a process that these days is very similar to giving blood."
Although medical research has indicated that younger donors provided the greatest chance for transplant success, those who are over 30 can still register through the international charity DKMS.
Islanders aged 16 to 30 who are unable to attend tomorrow can sign up HERE.
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