Peter Andre has made an emotional plea to help save the life of his sister-in-law's father, Harish, who has been diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening blood cancer. The 72-year-old from Harrow needs a stem cell transplant, but his Indian heritage makes finding a matching donor particularly difficult.
Harish's daughter Sunny, who is married to Peter's brother Danny, is leading an urgent campaign with blood cancer charity DKMS to encourage more people, especially those of South Asian heritage, to join the stem cell donor register. Peter shared the appeal on social media, urging others to repost and register.
Harish, a much-loved father and grandfather who celebrates his 50th wedding anniversary this week, was diagnosed with high-risk MDS after feeling unusually tired. Stem cell transplants offer the only chance of recovery for many blood cancer patients, but only one in three find a match within their family.
Sunny described her father as her best friend, saying it is devastating to see him fight cancer. She noted that her nine-year-old son has asked to be a donor, breaking her heart. Danny Andre also appealed, calling Harish a wonderful, loving man who puts others first.
Signing up as a potential donor involves a few health questions and painless cheek swabs. Anyone aged 17-55 in general good health can register via the DKMS website. The family hopes to find a match for Harish and others in need.
