PayPal Amsterdam

This year, we are walking not only for our own health and wellbeing, but also for a good cause!

Inspired by the personal story of our colleague Irene, we will use our 4th annual October Walking Challenge to raise awareness and funds for Matchis.

Irene’s sister Michelle was diagnosed with leukemia in 2021, which necessitated a stem cell transplant.

Unfortunately, there was no match found in the world-wide database; nor were Irene or her brother a match for their sister (there is a mere 30% chance of finding a suitable donor within one’s own family), but in the end Michelle was able to use her own stem cells and is cancer-free today.

Michelle was very lucky, but there are many candidates who are not so lucky.

Every year 9000 people in the Netherlands are diagnosed with blood cancer such as leukemia.

For these patients, a stem cell transplant is often a last chance at recovery.

A stem cell transplant requires a donor who is a perfect match to the patient and for that perfect match, an extensive pool of registered donors is needed.

By walking together this October, we hope raise awareness for Matchis and raise funds that will be allocated towards the recruitment, typing and registration of new stem cell donors; increasing the chance of a donor match and a future for patients with blood cancer.