A Cardiff based company will prove the sky is no limit when it comes to supporting their chosen charity, DKMS, a blood cancer charity dedicated to the fight against blood cancer.

For the past six months, DVS, one of the fastest growing security surveillance distributors in Europe, has been raising awareness of DKMS and the importance of blood stem cell donations. The company has so far raised over £4,000 out of its £10,000 target to help the charity register potential lifesavers on to the UK Aligned Stem Cell Registry, by taking part in a number of different fundraising events.

On 28 June DVS’s Commercial Director, Gavin Dunleavy, along with Internal Sales Manager and colleague Kylie Beach, will take to the skies, jumping from a plane to support the charity.

The company decided to support DKMS after Gavin’s friend and father of three Ian Witham, 42, from Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire was diagnosed with an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in September 2017. The family worked with the charity on the #IansArmy campaign which gained support from a number of celebrities, including Ray Winstone and Jamie Redknapp, to help find a matching donor for Ian and others in need of a blood stem cell donation.

Gavin said: “Ian and I have been friends for over many years and it was heartbreaking to witness him and his family go through such a devastating time. I wanted to do everything that I could to support him which is why I nominated DKMS to be DVS’s Charity of the Year for 2018.

“To know that we are raising vital funds to help register more potential lifesavers who could one day be a match for someone in need of a transplant is really inspiring.

“The team has managed to survive a tough mudder course, host a golf day and on 28 June I will be undertaking a skydive with my colleague in support of DKMS. We’re very much looking forward to the next six months of fundraising activities.”

The #IansArmy campaign encouraged thousands to register as potential blood stem cell donors. Sadly, an unrelated matching donor wasn’t found for Ian and, despite not being a perfect match, he had to receive an urgent donation from his father. This donation was Ian’s best chance of survival to fight blood cancer. Unfortunately, two in three people in the UK will not find a matching donor within their own family and rely on a stranger to be their potential lifesaver – you could be that lifesaver!

Caroline Richardson, Head of Fundraising at DKMS said: “A huge thanks to all the members of staff at DVS who’ve gone above and beyond in helping raise awareness and vital funds for us to register even more potential lifesavers. We are looking forward to their continued support across the rest of 2018.”

In the lead up to DKMS World Blood Cancer Day (28 May) a team of seven staff members took part in a tough mudder challenge on 19 May and a golf day in aid of the charity took place on 24 May.

The company has also hosted registration events to encourage all eligible staff members aged between 17-55 to register as a blood stem cell donor. Over the next six months the company will continue in their mission to raise awareness and funds for the charity.

If you are aged between 17-55 and in general good health, please register for your home swab kit online at dkms.org.uk. For further information on how your company could support DKMS please email corporates@dkms.org.uk.

It costs £40 to register one potential blood stem cell donor. DKMS relies on monetary donations to help cover this cost. Whilst the NHS is very supportive, it falls to charities like DKMS to reach out to potential lifesavers. Please support DVS in helping DKMS register more potential lifesavers.