By Filipa Gaspar
A woman with a rare blood cancer discovered there is only one person in the world who can save her life – who is now helping her.
Single mom-of-two Sian Chathyoka, 56, was diagnosed last year with myelofibrosis.
Sian then discovered there was one matching donor for her on the worldwide registry – in Germany.
Sian, from Swansea, Wales, is now encouraging more people to sign up as she prepares to have a stem cell transplant from a selfless stranger.
She said: “Since August, I’ve just been lying in bed because I’ve had no energy.
“I’ve had such a level of fatigue, I haven’t been able to do anything, and it’s been quite scary.
“I’m grateful that there is the possibility of a cure through a stem cell transplant.
“What I have realized throughout this process is that nobody knows about stem cell transplants.
“A lot of my friends didn’t have a clue. That’s why I want to raise awareness by sharing my story.
“Health is wealth, and it is a luxury to be grateful for.
“Just signing up to the register, you can literally save a life. I feel really emotional because that’s as powerful as it is.”
Sian was experiencing extreme fatigue before tests revealed that she had an aggressive form of myelofibrosis.
Since the diagnosis she has been having weekly blood and platelets transfusions and she has been told that she will need to have a stem cell transplant from a matching donor to survive.
Before falling ill, Sian was very active, swimming in the sea in all weathers, managing the family business and caring for her two children aged 18 and 13.
Sian, who was a social worker for many years, noticed something was wrong when she could no longer do her outdoor swimming or mow the grass.
After being unable to get up from a chair and realizing that she had lost 5lbs unintentionally, Sian went to the GP in August and was sent for blood tests immediately.
“They came back and they were scattered all over the place,” Sian said.
Sian was then sent for a CT and MRI scan which revealed an enlarged spleen, before being referred to the hematology department and being diagnosed with myelofibrosis in September 2025.
“I couldn’t stop crying,” she said.
Sian is currently undergoing treatment to shrink her enlarged spleen.
“My condition is very rare.
“I am the only myelofibrosis patient they’ve got in Swansea and Cardiff, and I’ve been told my disease is aggressive as well.”
“It’s very difficult to be upbeat and positive.
“When you take away the layers it’s absolutely petrifying.
“But you’ve got to forget about that and be positive,” she said.
In early January Sian received the news that there is one matching donor for her on the worldwide registry.
Sian was shocked that only one person on the register has the potential to save her, so is encouraging more people to sign up as she prepares to have a stem cell transplant from a selfless stranger.
“I’m lucky. I’m grateful that there is the possibility of a cure through a stem cell transplant,” she said.
Sian is working with stem cell transplant charity Anthony Nolan on a campaign entitled SignUpForSian to encourage more people to join the register and save a life.
Rowena Bentley, Head of Programme and Community Recruitment at Anthony Nolan, said: “It’s thanks to patients like Sian sharing their story that we can raise vital awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more people to join the register and save lives.
“Becoming lifesaver ready is easy, just head to the Anthony Nolan website to fill out a short online form, you’ll be sent a cheek swab and when you send it back freepost you will be added to the stem cell register and be ready to save a life like Sian’s.”
