Family Searches for Polish Stem Cell Donor for Second Transfusion
A Scottish family is attempting to locate an anonymous stem cell donor in Poland who previously saved their mother's life, hoping he can provide blood for a second transfusion.
Lisa Semple, aged 58, from Gourock, underwent treatment for leukaemia last year involving a stem cell transplant from a teenager who donated his cells on 13 October 2025.
Her four children were tested to see if they could donate, but none were a perfect match, so the hospital had to find and rely on a matched unrelated donor.
Now, the family has stated that Lisa's best chance for a full recovery is a donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI), but the donor registry has been unable to contact the 19-year-old who previously donated his cells.
A DLI is a post-stem cell transplant procedure where healthy white blood cells from the original donor are infused into the bloodstream.
Since the donor is unrelated to the family, they are relying on the anonymous teenager to respond to the registry's outreach efforts.
"All we know is that he has not responded to inquiries from the registry," Lisa's youngest child Charlie, 21, told BBC Scotland News.
Stem cell donors join DKMS, an international charity and the UK's largest stem cell register, which also operates in Poland, Germany, Chile, India, and South Africa, anonymously.
DKMS has emphasized that anonymity is important to protect both donors and patients.
Charlie said the family did not want to know the teenager's identity but only whether he was willing to donate blood again.
"It's completely up to him what he wants to do and whether he would want to donate again," he said.
"All we want is for him to respond to the registry."
Challenges in Contacting the Donor
There are several reasons why the 19-year-old may not have responded, including the possibility that it was a one-off donation or changes in his contact information such as address or phone number.
The family has contacted the British Embassy in Poland for assistance.
Charlie and his siblings have also posted an appeal on social media, hoping that a family member or friend of the donor might recognize the dates and help contact the teenager.
"My mum had a hard recovery because she went through chemotherapy and we all had to isolate from her while her immune system strengthened again," he said.
"It was tough to find out that none of us were a match and would not be able to help our mum. We had presumed it would be straightforward because we are related."
"We're getting back to normal and my mum is back at home but this is a wee setback for us," he added.
"It is hard to see her so stressed at the moment about not knowing what is going to happen next and whether or not she will make a full recovery.
"We would be completely over the moon if we could find the donor and she could have the blood transfusion."
Response from DKMS UK and Poland
DKMS UK and Poland issued a joint statement:
"Everyone at DKMS is deeply saddened by the difficult situation Lisa and her family are facing.
Our thoughts are with them during what is undoubtedly an extremely challenging time.
We understand that they are seeking answers, and hoping to reconnect with the donor who made Lisa's initial transplant possible."
The charity stated it could not comment on individual cases but "always makes every reasonable effort to contact matching donors to share requests for a further donation."
It added that sometimes individuals are unable or choose not to proceed with further donations, and their decision to step back should be respected.
