‘Finding a match will be vital to help him to get to remission and save his life’
HUSBAND DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA
A PREVIOUSLY fit and healthy Hull man who has been diagnosed with leukaemia has been told his only chance of survival is finding a match for a life-saving stem cell transplant.
Mike Naylor, 37, a landscape gardener from Kingswood had been in remission after chemotherapy to fight acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) which he was diagnosed with last July.
But, tragically, the rare blood cancer came back earlier this month, and as Mike now undergoes intense chemotherapy in hospital, his wife Nicky, 35, has launched a desperate appeal to find him a match on the bone marrow register.
Mrs Naylor is urging people to sign up to donor lists, not just for her husband, but for others too.
“We have been told that his chance at remission will be finding him a match on the bone marrow (stem cell) register,” she said.
“The doctor has told us there is no other option and finding a match will be vital to help him to get to remission and save his life.
“It is going to be a difficult road ahead, but we are going to keep strong and have hope as that is all you can do.”
Up until Mike’s diagnosis last year he was fit and healthy. The keen runner doesn’t smoke and rarely drinks alcohol.
He ran the Edinburgh marathon in 2018 to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and also ran the Beverley 10k last year. Mr Naylor was training for the Edinburgh marathon last year before he became unwell.
Mrs Naylor added: “On his 36th birthday in June 2019 he began to lose his appetite and suddenly felt very fatigued.
“He also felt thirsty all the time and started to suffer with insomnia and night sweats.
“He then began to develop a pinpoint rash on his back. He also began to lose a lot of weight.”
Doctors initially thought the Arsenal fan had picked up a virus from working outside, but when antibiotics didn’t help, he was admitted to Castle Hill Hospital at the end of July last year - where he diagnosed with leukaemia following a bone marrow biopsy.
Mr Naylor, an avid cook, began n chemotherapy, spending five e weeks on the ward, and after four r weeks of intense chemotherapy, , his bone marrow was negative of f leukaemia.
He continued with his s consolidation therapy and then n began maintenance therapy, but ut tragically, after being clear for or over a year, he relapsed earlier this s month.
Having spent time at Castle Hill ll Hospital again, on Tuesday Mr
Naylor was admitted into Sheffield ld Hospital and will be there for several weeks to start intense chemotherapy to try and get the leukaemia under control.
“It was heartbreaking saying goodbye at the door,” Said Mrs Naylor.
“I won’t be able to visit him during the Covid outbreak, which is going to be really hard, although I do understand they have got to protect him and all the other patients on the ward.
“It was incredibly hard yesterday and we are a bit raw, lots of tears shed.”
Mrs Naylor has now taken to Facebook to
share an appeal to urge people to sign up to one of many donation lists.
She said: “He is my everything.
“If you are between the ages of 17 and 55 and are healthy, you could be a lifesaver for Mike and others.
“All you have to do is register on one of the registered charities. If you are eligible, you will receive a pack or you could donate a small contribution to the charities if you are not.
“Together we can all help to find and become lifesavers.”