NAME
ADDRESS
Dear Sir/Madam
We live in TOWN and have a AGE year old SON / DAUGHTER called PATIENT NAME who is fighting an extremely rare
blood disorder called Diamond Blackfan Anaemia (DBA).
DBA is a potentially life threatening condition, it is characterised by an inability to produce red blood cells, these cells transport
oxygen around the body and without them we cannot survive.
Sufferers of DBA require life-long medical care, they can be dependent on steroid treatment but many survive on regular monthly
blood transfusions (to date our AGE year old SON / DAUGHTER has received nearly NUMBER transfusions) and in some cases
bone marrow transplant is required.
Regular blood transfusions will provide red blood cells but also leads to too much iron in the body which can be fatal if not
managed properly. Normally, the body uses the iron when making new red blood cells, but since a person with DBA doesn’t
make any new red blood cells the iron just builds up and stores in major organs. The patient then needs to receive further
treatment to remove the iron, this can often mean they are attached to a machine which pumps medication into their body, this is
usually done most days of the week for around 8-12 hours at a time, and this is also life-long treatment.
However the condition is managed, the majority of patients can have long term side effects and other major health problems.
The actual cause of DBA is not clear and there is no known cure.
As this illness is so rare, affecting only around 125 cases in the UK and around 700 worldwide, sufferers and parents of sufferers
can be left feeling very isolated and struggle to cope with the illness. As most people have never heard of this condition it also
makes it more difficult to raise funds.
DBA UK is a registered charity (reg charity number: 1083179) who raise money to help support families and to fund vital
research projects in the hope of finding a cure for this terrible condition.
We are writing to you to ask if you would be interested in supporting this very worthy cause, any support at all would be so much
appreciated and any help to promote further awareness of DBA would be so helpful. Running fundraising events on behalf of
DBA UK, selecting DBA UK as your chosen charity or even direct donations all make a big difference.
Thank you for reading this letter and for your consideration. Should you have any questions before making a decision please do
not hesitate to contact me on MOBILE NUMBER / EMAIL or visit www.diamondblackfan.org.uk.
Yours faithfully
NAME
DBA UK Registered Charity 1083179
Tel: 0845 094 1548
Email: info@diamondblackfan.org.uk
Website: www.diamondblackfan.org.uk
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/dba.org.uk