Emilia’s Big Day: London Broncos partner with blood cancer charity to celebrate young fan

• London Broncos will host ‘Emilia’s Big Day’ to celebrate young cancer survivor whose life was saved by a stem cell donor
• Supporters can join the stem cell donor register with a simple mouth swab
• This is part of a partnership with DKMS: inspired by lifelong rugby league fan whose baby son needed a stem cell transplant
• Watch this video to learn more

Rugby league’s London Broncos have teamed up with blood cancer charity DKMS to organise ‘Emilia’s Big Day’, a family fun day and stem cell donor registration event, before their Betfred Championship game against Bradford Bulls on 6 September. 

‘Emilia’s Big Day’ is a major peak in a partnership between Broncos and DKMS, which encourages rugby fans to become potential lifesavers by joining the stem cell donor register.

Emilia Mackay, 7, was just 5 years old when she was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare and life-threatening blood disorder, and required weekly blood and platelet transfusions just to survive. Doctors said that she needed a stem cell transplant, but unfortunately, no one in her family was a match, so a global search began to find a stranger who could save her life. 

Emilia’s dad, James Mackay, says, “As a parent, my child being diagnosed with such a serious illness was my worst nightmare. When we knew that Emilia’s future would rely on someone from the stem cell donor register, it was terrifying.”

Fortunately for Emilia, a stranger in Germany had signed up to the DKMS donor register and was identified as a match. They agreed to donate their stem cells, which were then flown to the UK before being quickly transferred to the hospital where Emilia was being cared for. Emilia is now in remission, and since her transplant at the end of 2023, she has been thriving. 

James says, “Emilia’s donor changed everything for us. It’s obviously very emotional; the kindness of a random stranger means that my daughter has been given another chance at life. We’re so happy that she is well enough to do the things she loves, and that we can attend rugby games as a family. We are so excited for the event with Broncos and DKMS -- we won’t just be celebrating Emilia, we’ll also be adding more people to the register so that more patients like her can get a second chance at life."

From 2pm on 6 September, there will be interactive games and activities for all ages, entertainment throughout the day, and food trucks & refreshments at the stadium. Match kick off will be at 4pm. Attendees can also join the stem cell register on the day by completing a few simple mouth swabs. Every 14 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer, but currently just 7% of the eligible population are currently registered as potential donors. 

This partnership was initiated by lifelong rugby league and Bradford Bulls fan Andrew Foster. Weeks after his birth in 2022, Andrew’s son Rycroft was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Shwachman-Diamond syndrome and became seriously ill. Doctors told Andrew and his wife Catherine that Rycroft would need a stem cell transplant. No one in their immediate family was a compatible donor, so doctors turned to the stem cell donor register, where a match was found. He had a transplant and began to improve significantly, but tragically, Rycroft contracted an infection whilst his immune system was still recovering and passed away aged just 16 months.

“Rycroft was so unlucky not to make the full recovery which a stem cell transplant has offered to so many others, but his transplant gave us more time with him, and every single day was so precious,” says Andrew. “It’s not until your child needs a transplant that you realise how little most people know about stem cell donation – it’s such an amazing thing to do, and to honour Rycroft’s memory, I wanted to reach more people with that message.” 

Andrew will be attending the event on 6 September alongside Emilia, her dad James, and their families. The families will be supporting DKMS as they add supporters onto the register, and answer questions about stem cell donation and transplantation. For patients with blood cancer or blood disorders, every person joining the register could be the person that they have been waiting for – a compatible stem cell donor match, able to give them a second chance at life. In nine out of ten cases, donating stem cells is a simple, outpatient procedure similar to donating blood platelets.

Jason Loubser, Chief Executive for London Broncos, says: "We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with DKMS and celebrating Emilia at our match against Bradford Bulls on 6th September. At the London Broncos, we believe rugby league is more than just a game, it’s a community built on strength, solidarity and support. This match is not only a great opportunity to welcome new fans into the sport but also to shine a spotlight on the vital, life-saving work DKMS does in the fight against blood cancer. We hope to inspire our supporters and the wider rugby community to step up, get involved and potentially become heroes off the field too."

Peter McLeave, DKMS UK Managing Director, says: “Stem cell donors can truly change people’s lives. For Rycroft, a donation from a stranger meant more valuable time with his family, and for Emilia, it has meant she is in remission and back doing the things she loves. We’re so grateful for the support of London Broncos and the wider rugby league community, who have been working so hard to get the word out and encouraging more people to join the stem cell donor registry.”

Joining the DKMS stem cell donor register is a quick process involving a simple mouth swab, which can even be completed at home. Anyone aged 17 – 55 years who is in general good health can register.

Event information:

• Emilia’s Big Day will take place on Saturday 6 September, at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, SW17 0NR. Gates open and activities begin at 2pm, and match kick off is 4pm.
• Tickets for the match are available here, with 25% of all ticket sales going to DKMS.
• If you can’t attend the match on 6 September, you can sign up to receive a mouth swab kit online here.

Three things you didn’t know about blood cancer:

• Blood cancers are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
• Every year, nearly 15,000 people die from blood cancer in the UK.
• People from UK ethnic minority and dual heritage backgrounds are under-represented on the stem cell donor register, and the harsh reality is that people from such backgrounds can face longer waits for a compatible stem cell match.