Please help US Cypriot Andrea find her stem cell match

Could you be Andrea’s stem cell match?

Meet Andrea (Demetriou) Kalliaras, 49, from New Jersey, USA. She and her husband Constantinos (Gus), are proud parents to two young teens, Sophia and Nikolas, and the family are members of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Wyckoff, NJ.

A few months ago, Andrea received devastating news that she has a rare form of Leukaemia that can only be cured by a stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, at this point, the doctors have not found a match for Andrea and so the family is praying for the generosity of others and reaching out to the community.

As Andrea’s mum is Cypriot and her dad is half Greek – half Cypriot, they are appealing to anyone that is of Greek or Cypriot descent. However, on occasion, matches are found between patients and donors of different ethnic groups.

You can help by registering to be a stem cell donor. The painless swab takes 10 seconds and registration takes under 10 minutes.

To receive a free swab kit please see below:

In the UK, visit https://www.dkms.org.uk/
In the USA, for ages 18-40, text Swab4Andrea to 61474
In the USA, for ages 41-55, please visit https://www.dkms.org/
In Cyprus, email [email protected], call Anita Koumouli on 00357 99 586 381 or visit https://karaiskakio.org.cy/
In Greece, visit https://www.xarisezoi.gr/
In Germany, visit https://www.dkms.de/
All other countries please visit https://swabtheworld.com/en/become-a-donor

The Kalliaras family is full of love, respect and dedication to each other and truly a model of Greek family values.

Andrea’s brother Christopher said, “It just doesn’t seem real. I am the older brother and I have been taught to protect my little sister but I feel helpless against Leukaemia. Andrea is a beautiful, loving soul with a good heart. A wonderful wife and amazing mother. The best sister, daughter, aunt and friend anyone could ask for. There will be a tough road ahead but with your help donating stem cells, I have no doubt that she will get through this and it will one day be a distant memory.”

Brother Marc also sends a message to every Greek and Cypriot around the globe, in the hope that someone can save his sister’s life.

“We are looking for an Angel on this Earth of Greek and/or Cypriot descent between the ages of 18 and 55 to check and see if they are a match to help my sister. On occasion, matches are found between patients and donors of different ethnic groups, so even if you are not Greek or Cypriot, please register! To determine if someone is a match, it is a 10-second cheek swab in the convenience of your home via a free kit that is mailed directly to you. If you are a match, technology has advanced so much that the cells could be taken from your blood in a non-invasive way. Additionally, for whoever is a match, all costs including transportation, if needed, to and from the nearest blood lab is 100% covered. Please help us in this time of need!”

For more information, please visit www.swab4andrea.com or www.facebook.com/Swab4Andrea