Joel Esan's Journey
Donation protected
In November 2018, at the age of just 16, Joel was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a rare type of leukaemia called Acute Leukaemia of Ambiguous Lineage (ALAL). Following his diagnosis, Joel bravely faced a total of four rounds of chemotherapy, a course of radiotherapy and a stem cell transplant.
Joel amazed doctors with his drive to return to college and be with his dear friends. His tremendous strength saw him through to remission, allowing him to return home and continue with his life.
Unfortunately, in January 2020 the leukaemia returned, meaning another round of chemotherapy. Again, Joel fought incredibly hard and managed to beat this disease a second time. Unfortunately, the nature of this leukaemia is very aggressive and extremely difficult to cure.
In April 2020, Joel and his family received the devastating news that his cancer had returned and that no further treatment would help to cure him of the disease.
On 14th June 2020, Joel sadly lost his battle with leukaemia and passed away at home, surrounded by his family. Joel had fought incredibly hard and showed immense strength throughout his journey, right up to his very last breath.
Throughout his journey, many charities and organisations have supported Joel and his family, and they will be eternally grateful for all of the support that they received. Particularly from The Haematology ward at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. The journey was made a little bit easier for Joel and his family by every member of staff, and they made the entire experience a touch less difficult to bear.
TheTeenage Cancer Trust, CLIC Sargent, Laurens Legacy, Starlight and Anthony Nolan are just a few of those who helped Joel and his family throughout the journey. And to show our appreciation, the family would like to raise awareness and funds for these charities, to ensure that their services can continue to help others that are going through the same experiences that Joel did. Please donate and help them to help others.
Anthony Nolan
As previously mentioned, Joel had to undergo radiotherapy and have a stem cell transplant to try and combat the disease, as this is the usual procedure for those battling blood cancers and it is their leading opportunity for recovery.
Anthony Nolan is a charity which has a register for those who are willing to donate their stem cells to save the lives of those who have blood cancers. The association matches three people every day, allowing them to have the opportunity to be cured. Without donors, there is no cure.
White Europeans have a 70% chance of finding a donor, and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) have less than a 20% chance at finding a donor.
As Joel was a member of the BAME community, he was unable to find a donor with a 100% match. Therefore, he had to have a transplant from his Mum, which was only a 50% match. Unfortunately, this did not have the desired effect as the disease was so aggressive.
Additionally, we urgently ask for everyone to register to donate their stem cells, particularly those who are from the BAME community. As with a register of more diverse donors, we can help to address this imbalance and work to ensure that nobody dies waiting for lifesaving stem cells; no matter who they are.
How you can help
Sign up to save a life
If you’re aged 16-30 and in good health, join their register.
Spread the word
We need to raise awareness among minority groups in the UK, so tell your friends to get involved.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Joel's journey. We appreciate every donation and sign up which will help to save lives.
Joel amazed doctors with his drive to return to college and be with his dear friends. His tremendous strength saw him through to remission, allowing him to return home and continue with his life.
Unfortunately, in January 2020 the leukaemia returned, meaning another round of chemotherapy. Again, Joel fought incredibly hard and managed to beat this disease a second time. Unfortunately, the nature of this leukaemia is very aggressive and extremely difficult to cure.
In April 2020, Joel and his family received the devastating news that his cancer had returned and that no further treatment would help to cure him of the disease.
On 14th June 2020, Joel sadly lost his battle with leukaemia and passed away at home, surrounded by his family. Joel had fought incredibly hard and showed immense strength throughout his journey, right up to his very last breath.
Throughout his journey, many charities and organisations have supported Joel and his family, and they will be eternally grateful for all of the support that they received. Particularly from The Haematology ward at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. The journey was made a little bit easier for Joel and his family by every member of staff, and they made the entire experience a touch less difficult to bear.
TheTeenage Cancer Trust, CLIC Sargent, Laurens Legacy, Starlight and Anthony Nolan are just a few of those who helped Joel and his family throughout the journey. And to show our appreciation, the family would like to raise awareness and funds for these charities, to ensure that their services can continue to help others that are going through the same experiences that Joel did. Please donate and help them to help others.
Anthony Nolan
As previously mentioned, Joel had to undergo radiotherapy and have a stem cell transplant to try and combat the disease, as this is the usual procedure for those battling blood cancers and it is their leading opportunity for recovery.
Anthony Nolan is a charity which has a register for those who are willing to donate their stem cells to save the lives of those who have blood cancers. The association matches three people every day, allowing them to have the opportunity to be cured. Without donors, there is no cure.
White Europeans have a 70% chance of finding a donor, and those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) have less than a 20% chance at finding a donor.
As Joel was a member of the BAME community, he was unable to find a donor with a 100% match. Therefore, he had to have a transplant from his Mum, which was only a 50% match. Unfortunately, this did not have the desired effect as the disease was so aggressive.
Additionally, we urgently ask for everyone to register to donate their stem cells, particularly those who are from the BAME community. As with a register of more diverse donors, we can help to address this imbalance and work to ensure that nobody dies waiting for lifesaving stem cells; no matter who they are.
How you can help
Sign up to save a life
If you’re aged 16-30 and in good health, join their register.
Spread the word
We need to raise awareness among minority groups in the UK, so tell your friends to get involved.
Thank you for taking the time to read about Joel's journey. We appreciate every donation and sign up which will help to save lives.
Fundraising team: Joel's Family (5)
Patrice Esan
Organizer
Charlotte Clarke
Team member
Femi Esan
Team member
Lewis Burte-Clarke
Team member
Zoe-Louise Esan
Team member
