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| London siblings' bone marrow Twitter plea boosts Jewish donors | London siblings' bone marrow Twitter plea boosts Jewish donors |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A brother and sister's search for a bone marrow match for their mother has led to a jump in the number of Jewish people joining the Anthony Nolan Trust. | A brother and sister's search for a bone marrow match for their mother has led to a jump in the number of Jewish people joining the Anthony Nolan Trust. |
| Jonni, 34, and Caroline Berger, 31, appealed on Twitter - #spit4mum - after Sharon Berger was told she needed an urgent bone marrow transplant in weeks. | Jonni, 34, and Caroline Berger, 31, appealed on Twitter - #spit4mum - after Sharon Berger was told she needed an urgent bone marrow transplant in weeks. |
| Mrs Berger, 61, of Harrow, north-west London, has myelodysplastic syndrome. | Mrs Berger, 61, of Harrow, north-west London, has myelodysplastic syndrome. |
| Finding a donor is proving difficult because her best match is likely to be another Ashkenazi Jew. | |
| The charity said 180 Jewish people signed up in the first two weeks of 2013, up from 31 in January 2012. | The charity said 180 Jewish people signed up in the first two weeks of 2013, up from 31 in January 2012. |
| Up to 35,000 people registered as donors with the charity last year. | Up to 35,000 people registered as donors with the charity last year. |
| Mrs Berger was diagnosed with the blood disorder in 2006 and over Christmas her family was told she needed a bone marrow transplant within six weeks to survive. | Mrs Berger was diagnosed with the blood disorder in 2006 and over Christmas her family was told she needed a bone marrow transplant within six weeks to survive. |
| 'Massive shock' | 'Massive shock' |
| Her children needed to get the message across quickly and urge people to join the register by providing a saliva sample. | Her children needed to get the message across quickly and urge people to join the register by providing a saliva sample. |
| Caroline Berger, who works with Oxfam, said: "It was a massive shock but in some ways you don't have time to be sad because we have only five weeks to find the person who could save her life." | Caroline Berger, who works with Oxfam, said: "It was a massive shock but in some ways you don't have time to be sad because we have only five weeks to find the person who could save her life." |
| Jonni Berger, 34, a tax consultant from Finchley, said they targeted both Twitter and Facebook. | Jonni Berger, 34, a tax consultant from Finchley, said they targeted both Twitter and Facebook. |
| "Given the age limit for registrants to the Anthony Nolan register is 16-30 we decided that Twitter was the best way to get to people and started a campaign requesting re-tweets using the same hashtag from celebrities and prominent members of the public," he said. | "Given the age limit for registrants to the Anthony Nolan register is 16-30 we decided that Twitter was the best way to get to people and started a campaign requesting re-tweets using the same hashtag from celebrities and prominent members of the public," he said. |
| "Finding a match for our mum would be like winning the lottery and although at times it feels like the chances of finding a match are lower, we feel there must be someone out there who might be that match." | "Finding a match for our mum would be like winning the lottery and although at times it feels like the chances of finding a match are lower, we feel there must be someone out there who might be that match." |
| Lynsey Dickson, regional recruitment manager for the trust, said: "If someone needs a bone marrow transplant, it is often their last chance of survival. | Lynsey Dickson, regional recruitment manager for the trust, said: "If someone needs a bone marrow transplant, it is often their last chance of survival. |
| "We know that the best possible match is likely to be someone from a similar background so we're urging all Jewish people aged 16-30 to come forward and join the register." | "We know that the best possible match is likely to be someone from a similar background so we're urging all Jewish people aged 16-30 to come forward and join the register." |