A four-year-old girl who was diagnosed with cancer has been nominated for a national charity award after helping to inspire more than 1,000 people to join a stem cell donor register.
Esha Nadeswaran, from Gants Hill, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in May and her family was told she would need an urgent stem cell transplant after unsuccessful chemotherapy.
Following a campaign to raise awareness of the need for stem cell donors from ethnic minority groups, blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan has shortlisted Esha and her family for the Inspiring Hope award at its Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards.
Finding the best stem cell donor match for people from an ethnic minority is much less likely than for a white person, according to the charity.
Anthony Nolan said the percentage of best matches for white people who are transplant recipients is 71 per cent, but this falls to 37pc for ethnic minorities.
The family launched a campaign in September aimed at raising awareness in the south Asian community of the need for stem cell donors for people like Esha.
They created a #ForEsha Instagram page, which generated more than 10,000 followers and a "significant" amount of donor registrations, Anthony Nolan said.
They also organised a recruitment event that saw more than 100 donors come forward - three quarters of whom were from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Esha has now received a stem cell transplant but her family said they will continue to raise awareness of the need to get more people from ethnic minorities on the stem cell register.
They added: "When we set out to find a bone marrow match for Esha and raise awareness towards the lack of ethnic minority donors on the register, we never could imagine reaching so many people across the world.
"It is beautiful to see and hear how many hearts Esha has touched and inspired."
It is not the first award recognition for the little girl - she was nominated for the Recorder/Redbridge Rotary Young Citizen Awards in October.
Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “It is remarkable to see how many people support our work to find a match for those in need of a stem cell transplant. Without them, none of our life-saving work would be possible.
"Congratulations to Esha and the Nadeswaran family. Your commitment to Anthony Nolan and raising awareness for minority ethnic donors has been invaluable.”
The winners will be revealed at an online ceremony on February 17.
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