A DAD who suffers from incurable blood cancer and leads a campaign to recruit more stem cell donors has found a new way to get his message across.
Peter McCleave, from Bunbury, was given just seven years to live after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable form of blood cancer, in 2016.
In 2018, the 41-year-old set up 10,000 Donors, a campaign to get more people signed up to a register of stem cell donors, to maximising the chances of him and others finding a suitable match.
While stem cell therapy doesn’t yet cure myeloma, it can significantly increase both the quality and length of life of sufferers.
Peter’s campaign has hugely successful, so far recruiting more than 100,000 people and matching 19 sufferers with suitable donors, and it's showing no signs of slowing down.
In fact, the campaign just decided to sponsor Winsford Town Saxons under-8s football team, who wore their new 10,000 Donors branded kits for the first time at their training session on Thursday, September 26.
Peter heard about the team and their hunt for a new sponsor through a former colleague, Natalie Stephen, whose son Archie plays for the team.
“Natalie suggested we stick our logo on the team's new training kits, which I thought was a great idea,” said Peter.
“I went down to the training session on Thursday and the lads were amazing.
“I used to coach rugby at Chester Rugby Club before I got ill, but I forgot how much enthusiasm young kids have, and how uncynical they are compared to the older players.
“They all knew me by name and gave me high fives – it was a fantastic feeling.
"They were a really lovely group of kids and parents, and it was lovely to be allowed to get involved.
“I started the campaign back in 2018, and the initial target was 10,000 new potential donors.
“We’ve had so much support we had to revise it to 100,000, and we've now exceeded that too.
“I’m hugely proud to be involved in it, but really, it’s more a reflection of other people’s generosity with their time.
"I just had one simple idea. Others have taken it in directions I'd never have thought of.
Tracey Clay’s son, Harrison, plays for Winsford Town Saxons, and she’s become the club’s unofficial press secretary.
She said: “Peter is amazing. For him to do what he’s doing in the circumstances is just incredible.
“Everybody now is touch by cancer, whether it’s a mum, dad, brother, sister, or friend.
“To meet someone who is doing something selfless is so inspiring.
“He was just the nicest man I’ve ever met.”
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