Survivor Cherie's bucketful of support (From Western Telegraph)

Survivor Cherie's bucketful of support

There can be few more heartfelt supporters of Adam Evans-Thomas' Bucketful of Hope Appeal then Cherie Harvey.

Adam, who had leukaemia, died last year aged 34 after a ten-year battle to find a suitable bone marrow donor.

Before he died, he raised £45,000 to find new bone marrow donors and set up the Bucketful of Hope Appeal to raise £250,000 for the day unit at Ward 10 Withybush Hospital and to fund an acute bed for the new bone marrow transplant unit at the Health Hospital, Cardiff.

Twenty years ago, Cherie was making her own heart-rending appeal for a bone marrow donor.

On May 16th, 1985 - when she was a 23-year-old mother of two - she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Her plea for life made the Western Telegraph front page headlines and the Haverfordwest Round Table responded by joining a nationwide bid to find more blood donors. They set up blood-testing clinics around Pembrokeshire.

Cherie meanwhile received massive doses of chemotherapy and went into remission. The search for a suitable donor continued but none was found, although her brother John was compatible as a mix match donor.

"The odds were very low and I decided against that treatment," said Cherie. "But then I received a call from my consultant suggesting I have autology - which is when the bone marrow is taken out and cleansed."

For nine weeks she was in isolation and the only time she saw her children was through a window.

Amazingly, although doctors said she would be unable to have more children because of chemotherapy treatment, Cherie and husband Nigel went on to have two more - Ian, now aged 14, and Matthew, eight next month. Her other two children are Jason, 23, and Phillip, 22.

A close check is still kept on Cherie, for while most people's white platelet count is seven or eight, hers is a low 2 to 2.4.

Bone marrow checks are also made on Jason and Ian, who have low immunity.

"Bone marrow donors can save lives," said Cherie. "That is why it is important to raise awareness in the community and why everyone should support Adam's Festival of Hope on July 16th."