“I never thought it would be me.”
Chris Gordon was 43, healthy and active, living in Los Angeles with his family. Originally from Manchester, England, he spent years as a pilot in the Royal Air Force, including five combat tours in Afghanistan.
Then a routine medical check-up changed everything. His bone marrow had stopped making the blood cells and platelets his body needs. The diagnosis: severe aplastic anemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder.
Today, Chris depends on regular blood and platelet transfusions. His brother is only a half match, and the global donor search has turned up only partial matches. A matching stem cell donor could give him a second chance at life.
