ACLT - IMOGIN APPIAH NEEDS OUR HELP. NOW!

25 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME COULD GIVE IMOGIN A LIFE TIME.Please read on...

My daughter Imogin Appiah is a wonderful intelligent 6 year old. She can be a handful at times but she is my world. One can only imagine my shock when I received the terrifying news that my baby was not well during my lunch break at work.

I had been working as a counter manager for a cosmetic company.
That day Imogin was with her grandmother September 18th 2006, a double shock for two people in the space of only a few minutes.

Entering Mayday hospital, I began to tremble uncontrollably but I soldiered on only to have my worst fears confirmed. My beautiful daughter had ALL Acute, Lymphoblastic, Leukaemia). I asked if it was bad news. Yes it is Sheila; however it is treatable, yes most certainly. Those words became my strength and my hope.

From this day Imogin started a two and a half year course of chemotherapy and I was her full time carer. In October 2008 Imogin finished her treatment we celebrated with a trip to Disneyland Paris with the magical taxi tours. Amazingly, 250 children, the London Ambulance Service, the Fire Brigade, the British Police, and the French Police all helped to make it an unforgettable weekend.

The love that I have for my daughter is incredibly deep, she means the world to me I honour her and look upon her with the greatest of respect. She is and always will be a fighter.
My day to day routine is based on her survival, she is strong, we are strong and we have reached out for support and received support from fantastic people.

I am writing this account from St. Georges hospital in Tooting, South London.

We came here on Tuesday 17th February because Imogin has unfortunately relapsed and will need a bone marrow transplant in the near future.

But we will continue with our hope, strength and continued determination to find her a match.

Words Written by Shelia Appiah, Imogin’s Mum

But the following message from Beverley De-Gale really sums up what actually happened on 30th April at the ACLT drive at Imogin's school, Elmwood Infant in Croydon.

DISAPPOINTMENT!

That is the only word I can use to express my feelings about the public turnout for 6 year old Imogin Appiah at yesterdays bone marrow appeal in her name.

My name is Beverley De-Gale; Co-founder of the ACLT Charity. Yesterday's drive was well publicised via the Newspaper Media (local and national), Radio, ITV London Tonight news, Facebook, ACLT Website etc. etc.

Please can anyone explain to me why only 42 people (who were mostly White and Asian) actually took 30 minutes out of their schedules to watch a short presentation, to fill in an application form and to then give a small sample of blood to place themselves on the bone marrow register?

Imogin's school is mostly made up of Black and Asian pupils but the community let her down! We (ACLT) just don't get it! SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN!!

Beverley De-GalePlease register at the following registration drives to see if you can help Imogin and others.Saturday 27th June - Open TO THE PUBLIC
Time: 12pm till 5pm

Whitgift Shopping Centre
Unit 0141 (Allders Square, Opposite WH Smith & Allders)
Croydon
CR0 1UT

Please also have a look at the following website for Jasmina Amena another 6 year old girl in New York who needed a Bone Marrow Transplant and a match was recently found. During our registration drives we also show her picture and mention her name and profile to make people understand that this is a worldwide initiative that we are all involved in trying to save lives. The difference right now in the USA is that the African American community has been touched by a similar TV coverage for her and turned out in their droves. Why can’t the Black London public do likewise, they have done so on many other occasions. Has the recession made everyone in the UK more apathetic?