GatenbySanderson are committed to tackling important issues and as part of this year’s Black History Month, we are focusing on health disparities within the Black community. This aligns with the Black History Month theme of reclaiming narratives, where we aim to challenge and reshape the narrative around healthcare inequalities and highlight the leaders and exemplary leadership behaviours driving change in this space.
Sam Ellis, the marketing director at GatenbySanderson, recently sat down with Beverly De-Gale and Orin Lewis, both OBEs and Co-founders of the Multi award-winning charity, the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), which has become a leading voice in raising awareness of the critical need for more stem cell blood and organ donors from the Black and mixed heritage communities. ACLT are one of our key partners on our 333 Pledges for 333 Lives campaign and we’re honoured to have the co-founders share their story with us.
About Beverley De-Gale and Orin Lewis
Bev and Orin’s journey began in 1993 when Daniel, their six year old son, was diagnosed with leukaemia and in need of life-saving stem cell transplant. At the time, there were only 550 black donors on the UK stem cell register.
They channelled their experience into action, determined to increase donor numbers and address these health disparities in the UK. They share more about their personal journeys and how it shaped ACLT’s mission in the interview below.
Find out more and make your pledge for 333 Pledges 333 Lives:
In the UK, people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage have significantly lower chances of finding a matching stem cell (bone marrow) donor compared to a patient from white, northern European heritage. This disparity costs lives. Did you know that stem cell donation is ethnicity-specific, meaning you are likely to find a donor from someone with the same or similar heritage as you? By increasing the number of people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage joining the register, we can begin to address this disparity.
By pledging today, you can help close this gap and give hope to someone in need, reclaiming the narrative around health disparities in the UK.
Watch more Black History Month interviews with inspiring leaders:
Patrick Vernon OBE on building confidence and trust in the NHS