Stem cell donor search underway for N.S. mother battling cancer a second time

First at Five: Do It For Danielle Young mother Danielle Biron is in her second battle against cancer – and needs a stem cell transplant to save her life.

Thirty-six-year-old mother of three Danielle Biron is battling cancer for the second time in less than five years.

Last year, Biron was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer after blood test results from an unrelated visit to the emergency department revealed something was wrong.

“I was diagnosed in October,” says Biron. “After I found out, they said that my only option for a cure would be a stem cell transplant.”

This cancer diagnosis has come after she beat thyroid cancer in 2020 after surgery and radiation.

Now, the hairstylist is too sick to work, relying on frequent blood transfusions and chemotherapy medication to keep going.

Doctors have told her she needs a stem cell transplant as soon as possible. In fact, Biron was supposed to receive her transplant April 19, until something went wrong.

“I had a match, and I don't know what happened, but they just weren't cleared for transplant,” she says.

After that fell through, Danielle's friends jumped into action, sharing her story on social media and encouraging everyone they could to register as a potential stem cell donor.

“The word has been spread so far, it's crazy,” says friend Donya Myles. “It's actually a very beautiful thing.”

Myles is among those trying to raise awareness about what it takes to join the stem cell registry and donate if deemed a match.

“A lot of people think it's a bone marrow donor, and she needs a stem cell donor, so the processes are very different, it's actually a lot easier to be a stem cell donor,” says Myles.

“The first step would be to register your intent as a stem cell donor to join the registry, to do that you can go to blood.ca,” says Kim Elliott, associate director with Canadian Blood Services in Halifax.

Donors must be in good health and between 17 and 35 years old to offer the best chance at transplant success.

After filling out an online form, registrants will receive a kit in the mail and instructions on completing a cheek swab. Once the swab is completed, the kit is sent back to Canadian Blood Services to be added to its stem cell registry, which belongs to an international network of more than 80 countries.

“About 50 per cent of people find a match for a stem cell transplant, so certainly increasing the number of registrants within Canada provides more likelihood that patients might find the match that they need,” says Elliott.

Blood stem cell transplants can treat more than 80 different diseases, such as blood cancers and sickle cell disease.

According to Canadian Blood Services, less than 25 per cent of patients find a match within their own family circle, which means the majority of matches come from unrelated volunteer donors.

Once a match is found, clinicians determine the best procedure for donation. Most donations are collected from peripheral blood stem cells, taken from the blood in a process similar to blood donation after a series of injections to stimulate stem cell production in the donor.

While Danielle waits, hoping for a match, her friends are busy spreading the word and planning fundraising and awareness events, including a concert at the Toothy Moose Cabaret on April 27.

“I'm not discouraged that I won't get a match, there's been a lot of really positive things happening,” says Biron, tears welling up in her eyes. “I've had a lot of support.”