Donor denied UK visa to save his sister’s life because ‘he doesn’t earn enough money’

A WOMAN with a rare blood cancer is being denied a life-saving transplant from her brother because he does not earn enough, a charity has claimed. Shirley Kordie, 33, has hypoplastic MDS and will leave her son, Blessing, four, without a mother if she is not treated.

Her brother Joseph, who lives in Ghana, is a “perfect” stem cell match but his visa application was denied due to his “financial circumstances”.

The Home Office told the BBC that it was “urgently reviewing” the case. Ms Kordie said: “I have my little boy, and I want to live for him.”

The Anthony Nolan Trust and the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust have launched a campaign to support Ms Kordie, who has been receiving treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. The Anthony Nolan Trust said the reason Joseph, a nurse, had been refused a visa was because “he doesn’t earn enough money”.

A petition urging Sajid Javid, the Home Secretary, to reverse its decision amassed about 10,000 signatures in 36 hours. Amelia Chong, a spokesman for the Anthony Nolan Trust, said: “We have reviewed all those on the donor list and he is not only the perfect match, he is the only match. All Joseph needs is a temporary visa.”

In a previous letter to Ms Kordie, the Home Office said: “While I am aware of the importance of family contact and the compassionate nature of your application, I must, however, also consider your personal and financial circumstances in Ghana when addressing your application.” But in a statement yesterday, a spokesman said: “We are urgently reviewing the decision and will give very careful consideration to the compassionate circumstances.”