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Brit-Indian woman urges people to sign up as stem cell donors An optometrist from Bedford is raising awareness and funds for blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan in memory of her husband, who lost his life to a rare blood disorder. In 2013, Poonam Shah, 38, knew her life had changed for ever, when her husband Rakesh was Happier Times: Poonam with husband diagnosed with Rakesh Shah myselodysplasiaan extremely rare blood disorder in which the bone marrow doesn't produce enough healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The family was told he would need to have a stem cell transplant from someone with the same tissue type as him to replace his faulty bone marrow with healthy donor cells. Tests on his brother and sister revealed them as non-matches. Anthony Nolan- a charity that brings in people willing to donate their blood, stem cells, or bone marrow, to those who need it, looked through its register and others worldwide, to see if a perfect match was available. Someone with 10 matching genes that would help ensure that Rakesh's body would accept the donor's cells. He met one 10/10 tissue type match, a female donor from the USA. However, she eventually couldn't donate. Later, two 8/10 matches were found, one from Germany and another from South Africa. “The donor from South Africa, a 37 year old female, was willing to donate. Which we knew wasn't ideal,” Poonam said. The straining wait to find a donor and the lack of a perfect match only saw Rakesh's condition worsen. He suffered from different infections, consequentially delaying his transplant, until he received in August 2014. While his first transplant was unsuccessful, Rakesh received a second transplant in November 2014, from the same donor. However, his condition failed to improve and he died on December 20, 2014. Poonam now dedicates most of her time encouraging people from south Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds to join the stem cell register. She said, “I want to raise awareness of stem cell donation among people from ethnic minority backgrounds because no person should be faced with the prospect of being told that they have no match on the register.” Donors from black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds make up for only 15 per cent of the register, and BAME patients have only a 20.5 per cent chance of finding the best possible donor match as compared to 69 per cent for white northern Europeans. Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said, “Poonam’s heart-breaking story is a stark reminder of how much more work needs to be done to reduce inequality on the stem cell register. While it is encouraging that we’ve seen an increase in the number of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds signing up as potential stem cell donors in recent years, it still remains the case that people from ethnic minority backgrounds face a disparity in their relative chances of finding a lifesaving donor.” He added, “We’re incredibly grateful to Poonam for everything she is doing to raise money and awareness for Anthony Nolan. Her amazing efforts will leave a lifesaving legacy in Rakesh’s memory.” Meanwhile, to mark what would have been Rakesh's 40th birthday, on November 16, Poonam has taken help from her friends and family to undertake 40 fundraising challenges by then. One of them is to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, on September 2, an adventure, both her and her late husband always dreamt of doing together. “Climbing Mt Kilimanjaro on my own is a big step, and it’s also about me taking the next step in my grieving process. It’s going to be a hugely emotionally and physically exhausting experience,” she said. Over £7,500 has already been raised, and Poonam hopes to raise £40,000 by Rakesh’s 40th birthday. Those who wish to forward donations to Poonam's 40 challenges, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/someonespecial/RememberingRaks. Save someone's life today, join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register at www.anthonynolan.org/join.
ESHAAN AKBAR:
Asian Voice | 26th August 2017
SP
15
TLIGHT
NOT FOR PROPHET
Sunetra Senior
A
kbar is winner of Piccadilly Club comedian of the year, and is an exceptionally talented newcomer to the British comedy circuit. At a time when, in his own words, ‘Islam is a significant part of the zeitgeist, both positively and negatively’, he is using his debut show - Not for Prophet – opening at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe- to draw from his personal journey from being a devout Muslim to an alcoholdrinking, bacon-eating nonMuslim as a much-needed social bridge. ‘I do believe humour, and the nuances of my particular story can break down communal barriers’, he told us. ‘People feel encouraged to relax and build connections amongst each other. I do explore the many contradictions that constitute my current worldview. Identity is fluid and multi-faceted so whether you are white, brown or neither there are no ‘right answers’ or a specific set of rules of how you should be. We are all a product of a unique mixture of social context and upbringing.’ *** Indeed as much his material is informed by his cultural background - being the ‘ultimate colonial baby with grandparents from each part of the subcontinent after partition’ and parents with both strong anti-colonialist and
Thatcherite sentiments respectively question various concepts. Akbar also uses his life experience and the ‘elitist banking culture’ he Tell us a bit about your curhas observed to be a trend in the rent show? metropolis: ‘there were people with a It explores the ways in which my lot of imperial ties and connections life has been pulled in polar oppogoing back to the time of the British sites, and how that all converged at Empire, in my workplace, and while this house party a couple of years ago. being predominantly hilarious, it was As well as having a very culturally and also kinda racist...’ As well as being ideologically varied upbringing, I was highly accessible and thought-proalso a poor kid in private school. I voking, Akbar’s style has been also make the audience sing a hymn described as very ‘slick’ by the at one point. That’s fun in-between all Evening Standard, and the young the stories and the jokes. comedian has also qualified as a finalist in When did you the high-profile, decide to become a nationally comedian? ‘There were people known, comedy I was quite a with a lot of imperial competition, funny guy at school ties and connections So You Think but never thought going back to the time You’re about becoming a of the British Empire in Funny? professional. I was a former workplace, Other accoactually looking and while being prelades include into becoming a warming up broadcast journalist dominantly hilarious, it for Micky when the guy who was also kinda racist...’ Flanagan when produced my show he was on tour reel pointed out that I and performing in was a funny guy, and I’ve his mother’s home been testing out my material country of Bangladesh, doing more recently. Last year I was finally half the set in English and the latter able to quit my full time job and purhalf in Bengali. Upon being asked sue comedy full time. whether this innately energetic and anecdotal Indian language has Who have been some of your helped him with comic delivery, favourite comedic inspirations? Akbar answered: ‘definitely! Lee Evans, Eddie Murphy, Dave Whether it’s conscious or subconChappelle, and to throw in a delightscious, exposure to several lanfully darker one, Frankie Boyle. guages, including Urdu and Hindi, gives me an advantage with experiWhat’s your comedy writing menting tonally and with different process? sorts of jokes.’ His surname inciI carry a notebook with me and dentally sounding like attend different new material nights. I ‘once’ or ‘one time’ in also test out my newer funny ideas on Bengali, Akbar simultavarious audiences. neously demonstrates his mantra for comedic Are there particular tricks you success, and quite like experimenting with? frankly being a My shows are a combination of a worthwhile human few: the pull back and reveal, which being: ‘stay true to subverts audience expectations, oneyourself, knowing liners etc. My set is a mix and reflecthat this is the tive of all the comedy I grew up with. I greatest gift you suppose I relish subverting audience can give the expectation: taking them one way and world. All the then throwing them in a completely while be confident different direction. and search to be wholly comfortable within yourself.’ Do you have a favourite part Thus Not for Prophet says as to your show? much about the comedian as As well as the hymn, I do a little the impressive show itself. dance with the audience at the end of the show which is a lot of fun. I enjoy You’ve just stepped telling people my mum’s approach to off the train into discipline too. Edinburgh. How are you feeling about your first big Finally, do you have any advice performance? for other young comedians in Both excited and nervous, but terms of loosening up before a show? mostly very, very excited! I don’t usually need to myself, but deep breaths are always helpful, and What grabs you most at times there’s this one Sufi song about comedy? that I’ve played beforehand which How much license I have to calms me. explore ideas; how by getting people to laugh you can also get them to twitter.com/eshaanakbar