'I would do it again' - Student pauses A-level revision to save a life

A teenager preparing for his A-levels has made a potentially life-saving donation of stem cells to a stranger.

Jamie McGuigan, a Year 14 student at Strabane Academy, signed up as a stem cell donor with charity DKMS's new schools programme in December.

The County Tyrone teenager was matched with a patient weeks later and is the first donor in the UK from the schools programme.

Jamie said while he was nervous at first "the opportunity to help someone else outweighed the nerves".

"It was just after my 18th birthday," he said.

"Having been on the register for such a short time I think everyone was surprised to find out I had been identified as a match - I was very surprised myself."

Jamie flew to Sheffield with his mother and donated his stem cells through his blood.

"It was amazing to see the machine working," he said.

"It was a five-hour process, so I got out my laptop, put on Netflix, sat back and relaxed."

Stem cells can change into other blood cells to be used to treat many different cancers, as well as immune deficiencies and genetic disorders, according to the NHS.

For many patients with blood cancer or blood disorders, a stem cell transplant represents their best opportunity.

Most people who join the stem cell register will never be matched to a patient, with the odds about one in 800.

DKMS said studies show that transplants from younger donors result in better outcomes for patients, but young people are also underrepresented on the donor register.

The charity launched a new schools programme, Generation Lifesaver, running sessions in schools and colleges, informing students about blood cancer, and encouraging them to register as potential donors.

One of the first schools to participate was Strabane Academy and at an event in December, 47 people signed up and gave mouth swabs.

DKMS UK spokesperson Bronagh Hughes said Jamie "has done something truly incredible at such a young age, and has given a total stranger a second chance".

"Young people are desperately needed on the stem cell donor register, so we are so grateful to the staff and students of Strabane Academy for doing their bit to improve the odds for blood cancer patients around the world," she said.

Jamie, who hopes to study marine biology at university, said he felt "very grateful to be able to give someone another chance at life and I would definitely do it again.

"I would strongly advise anyone to do it, at least get on the register.

"At 18-years-old I didn't realise that I could have such an impact on someone's life."