Young woman waits for the right bone marrow donor

25-year-old Kenilworth resident Carey Boucher was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in November 2007. This followed a visit to a dermatologist when she noticed bruises developing all over her face.

“Tragically there is no match for her in the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR),” says her United Kingdom-based mother Lisa Finney.

“A search for a local donor in South Africa was unsuccessful and we had to turn to the SABMR Institute to search for possible international donors,” she says.

Two potential donors from Germany have been located and are presently being tested in Cape Town for compatibility.

The cost of the search and the eventual procurement of the bone marrow is expensive, so the family is appealing to others to help make a difference.

Carey's high-dosage chemotherapy is now complete and she is in preparation for a bone marrow stem cell transplant at the Constantiaberg Bone Marrow Unit soonest a bone marrow donor is located.

Carey recently completed her second cycle of aggressive treatment after spending 114 days in hospital in an isolation unit, with complications such as infections, seizures and other medical side effects.

“Carey has always remained optimistic, holding firm in her faith that there is a purpose for her to start her life afresh once the treatment is done,” says her mother.

“Until we are faced with a situation like this, we are not able to understand the critical need for people to join the bone marrow registry. These past few months have been critical for Carey and we have learned that we should never take life for granted. We should allow ourselves to stop and enjoy what we have. Carey has inspired us with her fight to beat this cancer,” her mother notes.

A fundraising dinner dance with popular band Back on Track will be hosted by Tygervalley-based Eustacia Health and Beauty Spa 1st Floor Willowbridge Shopping Centre on Saturday 31 May between 19h00 and 19h30, taking place at Barnyard Theatre, Willowbridge Shopping Centre, Carl Cronje Drive, Tygervalley All proceeds will be towards Carey's Bone Marrow fund and there will be prizes for best dressed individual, best dressed couple, and best dancing couple.

Tickets at R100 per person are available from Eustacia Health and Beauty Spa on telephone 021 914 2240 or e-mail

Other fundraising initiatives can be viewed at the website www.carey-boucher.com. These include an SMS campaign where one can SMS the word HOPE to 38665 at R10 and proceeds will go to Carey's fund. The South African Bone Marrow Registry website is www.sabmr.com, or telephone

(021) 404 6445, or e-mail