|  |  |  | | | | A VERY SPECIAL (BMT) BIRTHDAY! | | | | |
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Release Date: 15th July 2004
21-year-old Anna George celebrates a very special anniversary this Sunday (18th July) when she takes part in the London Bikeathon - the capital’s biggest charity bike event - in aid of Leukaemia Research. The student from Twyford will be taking part in the event a year to the day she underwent a bone marrow transplant (BMT) to cure her leukaemia.
Anna was diagnosed with leukaemia in October 2002 after going to her GP because she had been fainting. Tests showed that she had chronic myeloid leukaemia, a form of leukaemia that affects 750 people each year in the UK.
She was admitted to the Hammersmith Hospital in London where she was treated with Glivec, a promising new treatment for CML, before having a bone marrow transplant last summer.
“I was transplanted on July 18th - but all I know about the donor is that he comes from Wales and is in his 20’s,” she says. The transplant went very well but Anna has suffered from a number of problems including graft versus host disease (GvHD), which affects many transplant patients.
GvHD occurs when the immune cells from the donor recognise the cells of the patient as foreign and attack them. This can be very serious, affecting the liver and gut.
Anna is in remission from her leukaemia but she has to go back for regular check-up’s at the Hammersmith.
“When I saw an advert for the London Bikeathon on July 18th - in aid of Leukaemia Research I thought what a coincidence that it was going to be on the day of my first birthday. I was determined to take part and it gave me a target to be well before then,” Anna says.
Anna will be taking part in the event with a big group of family and friends, including her younger sisters, her mum, uncle and cousin.
London Bikeathon is now in its eighth year, and is the flagship cycling event for Leukaemia Research - raising over £1.3 million for the charity
The event starts at either the Royal Hospital Chelsea or Ham Common. Cyclists can chose between two routes from the Royal Hospital - the City Ride through the City of London or the Scenic Ride that takes in Richmond Park and the Thames towpath. Cyclists starting at Ham take part in the Scenic Ride. More information on how to enter from www.londonbikeathon.co.uk or by calling 020 7269 9009.
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