In March 2026, I was diagnosed with AML which is a type of leukaemia. So BLK CHERRY is taking a bit of a pause while I focus on treatment and healing.

I’m only 30, My main symptoms were fatigue and brain fog, and I genuinely thought I was just anaemic. It’s rare for someone my age to get this, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.I’ll be going into hospital for a month of intensive chemotherapy very soon. I will need at least two cycles of chemo. The goal is remission, and I’m going into this feeling determined to make it through the other side.

Work is everything to me, so please keep enquiring, I’ll be back as soon as I’m able.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate. So if something feels off (or even if it doesn’t) ask for a blood test. Listen to your body because early detection matters.

As well as chemotherapy, I will need a stem cell transplant to prevent the cancer from returning. My sister is currently being tested as siblings are the best chance of a match.

However, my doctor told me that it can be harder for mixed race people to find a match.

So, my call out is this: please consider becoming a stem cell donor. Especially if you are a person of colour, or you have mixed race heritage. it’s harder for mixed race people to find a match.

It’s a non-surgical process where blood is taken from one arm, passed through a machine to harvest stem cells, and returned to the other arm. It saves lives, and I will need this treatment to save mine.

Stem‑cell matches are based on HLA types, which are inherited from your parents and often follow patterns linked to ancestry. Because of my mixed heritage — my closest matches are most likely to come from people who share similar ancestral backgrounds.

Because I have a blend of West African + British/Irish ancestry, people with similar mixed backgrounds are especially important.

This includes:

  • Black Caribbean + White British

  • Black African + White British

  • African American + European ancestry

  • Mixed‑heritage individuals with West African roots

  • Mixed‑race people whose families migrated through the Caribbean or UK

Even if someone’s exact mix is different from mine, they can still match — HLA patterns don’t follow identity labels perfectly.

People with British or Irish ancestry

My European ancestry includes:

  • West Midlands

  • Devon & Somerset

  • Donegal

  • Central Scotland & Northern Ireland

  • Leinster

  • Small amounts of Germanic and Aegean ancestry

People with British or Irish heritage may match one half of my HLA profile, which can still be useful for partial matches or modern transplant techniques.

Anyone aged 16–55 can help

Even if someone doesn’t share these backgrounds, they can still join the register — matches sometimes come from unexpected places. Every new donor increases the chances for others waiting for a transplant.

Why this matters

Mixed‑heritage patients often face the lowest match rates because our HLA combinations are less common in donor registries. That’s why people with Caribbean, West African, mixed‑heritage, or Black ancestry are especially important — but everyone can make a difference.

I was worried about sharing something so difficult and vulnerable, but if what I’m going through can encourage someone to go to the doctors, or become a stem cell donor, then it’s worth it.

I am so lucky to have the support system I have around me. I have been inundated with love and it’s keeping me going.

Please keep making enquiries if you want a website from me in the future, because I will be back!

As I am self employed, my income has stopped and I won’t be earning any money for at least the next couple of months. Any donation (no matter how small) will help towards my living costs and I will be endlessly grateful.

Thank you so much for reading.

Beth x

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