Aphra Brandreth, Member of Parliament for Chester South and Eddisbury, attended a compelling drop-in session hosted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ethnicity, Transplantation and Transfusion on Wednesday, 25th June, at Portcullis House. The event featured Pete McCleave, a father-of-two from Bunbury in Ms Brandreth’s constituency, battling blood cancer, and British television reporter and documentary filmmaker Mel Barham.
Pete McCleave, diagnosed with Myeloma in 2017, shared his remarkable story of travelling over 6,000 miles to Macau in search of a lifesaving stem cell donor. Due to his unique Macanese, Irish, and English heritage, finding a compatible donor has been a significant challenge. Pete’s journey is the focus of a new ITV documentary, set to launch on ITVX on 7th July 2025.
During the session, Ms Brandreth had the opportunity to meet Pete and Mel, capturing photographs to mark the occasion. Inspired by Pete’s determination and the APPG’s mission to advocate for equitable access to stem cell, blood, and organ treatments for mixed heritage and ethnic minority patients, Ms Brandreth is calling on constituents to join the donor list.
“I was deeply moved by Pete’s story and his relentless fight to find a stem cell donor,” Ms Brandreth said. “It’s a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those with mixed heritage or from ethnic minority backgrounds in accessing lifesaving treatments. We should all consider registering as a stem cell donor with DKMS UK and to spread the word to friends and family. Together, we can help save lives.”
Registering as a stem cell donor is simple (using a cheek swab) and could be lifesaving. Visit DKMS UK at www.dkms.org.uk/register-now to request a swab kit and join the register. Anyone between the ages of 17-55 who is in general good health can sign up to join the register, and could one day be asked to donate stem cells.
By sharing Pete’s story and encouraging others to register, constituents can make a real difference.
For more information about the documentary, visit www.itv.com/watch on or after 7th July 2025 to watch on ITVX.
