MATCHDAY GUIDE: London Broncos vs Catalans Dragons

EMILIA'S BIG DAY It's not long now until we welcome Emilia and DKMS to The Cherry Red Records Stadium for her big day! - 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. ‘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”.