Donor plea after lifeline 11th-hour blood transplant

A WOMAN saved by a blood donation has described how her treatment has given her a “lifeline” as she urged people to sign up to be donors.

- By Ella Pickover

Fahreen Virani, 42, said her life came “crashing down” when she was diagnosed with leukaemia last year.

After chemotherapy she needed a stem cell transplant but was struck down by pneumonia, which was not responding to the usual treatments.

As a result, the mum of one was told she needed a special transplant of “fake immune system” components taken from blood. Granulocytes are white blood cells which attack and break down bacteria, fungi and viruses.