RAF veteran who saved 31 troops in Afghanistan now needs a donor to save his life
Decorated RAF veteran Chris Gordon, who saved 31 troops in Afghanistan, is appealing for people to join the stem cell register after a rare blood disorder left him needing a transplant within months.
An RAF veteran decorated for saving 31 troops in Afghanistan has launched an appeal for a stem cell donor after being diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disorder.
Chris Gordon, 43, has severe aplastic anaemia, an extremely rare condition which leaves his bone marrow unable to produce new blood cells.
Doctors have told the former Chinook pilot he needs a transplant within the next few months to give him a second chance at life. He is receiving blood transfusions twice a week while medics search global stem cell registers.
Mr Gordon, originally from Manchester, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by the late Queen in 2013. He used his helicopter to shield British and Afghan troops from enemy fire before flying them to safety, despite losing an engine during the attack.
His brother Jonathan, from Manchester, was found to be only a half-match.
Mr Gordon, who is half Jamaican, faces an additional challenge because donor matching is linked to ethnic heritage and only a small proportion of registered donors come from an ethnic minority background, blood cancer charity DKMS said.
The veteran spent 14 years with the RAF and now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a director at a helicopter company. He lives with his wife and two-year-old daughter, with the couple expecting a baby boy within weeks.
Mr Gordon said: “In Afghanistan I saw courage and leadership at their best; people stepping forward when others needed help.
“It was something I tried to do wherever I could.
“Now I find myself needing help from other people.
“A potential donor could be anyone, anywhere in the world. But I need them to join the donor register so they can be identified as a match.”
DKMS said joining its register involves answering a few health questions and completing cheek swabs, with free kits available through its website.
DKMS spokesperson Bronagh Hughes said: “Signing up only takes a few minutes, but one day you could be called to give someone a second chance. Take a look at the DKMS website to find out more and order your free kit today; you could save a life.”