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ACLT is tackling the donor gap in Black communities through blood drives, education, and awareness – turning loss into legacy, one drop at a time.
“Even one drop can change everything.”Impact at a Glance
The African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) was born from a moment no parent should ever face.
In 1993, Beverley De-Gale and Orin Lewis were told their young son, Daniel, had leukaemia and that finding a matching stem cell donor would be extremely unlikely.
At the time, UK donor registers lacked diversity. For Black African and Caribbean patients, the chances of survival were devastatingly low.
Daniel responded well to initial treatment and by March 1995, was declared cancer-free.
Nine months later, Daniel’s cancer returned. Doctors told his parents that a stem cell transplant was now his best shot at survival. With limited options, Beverley and Orin founded ACLT in 1996 and launched a national campaign to find a match.
In the summer of 1999, Daniel received a stem cell donation from a woman in Michigan, USA. A stranger who had joined the donor register after hearing a talk about stem cell donation. He became the first Black person in the UK to undergo a stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor.
Daniel relapsed a third time and required intensive treatment, which caused severe iron overload. Although he beat cancer again, the effects of long-term treatment took their toll. Daniel passed away on 8 October 2008, from multiple organ failure.
His parents believe the delay in finding a matching donor played a key role in the long-term complications that affected his health.
To this day, ACLT continues to build on Daniel’s legacy through regular ‘One Drop’ blood donation events, held on the last Saturday of every month. The mission is simple: one donation can save up to three lives.
On 14 March 2026, ACLT will host a special blood drive at the Brixton Blood Centre, marking what would have been Daniel’s 39th birthday. It’s a powerful continuation of his story and a reminder of the urgent need for more Black and Caribbean blood donors.
“Be part of the solution,” says Orin, encouraging people to start their donation journey.
For people living with blood cancers or sickle cell disorder, finding a compatible donor can be the difference between life and death, and that compatibility often depends on shared heritage.
In 2026, ACLT will launch the "I Am Project", the final chapter in the ‘One Drop’ series. The project shifts focus from illness to identity, following a young man’s journey towards becoming a blood donor. It’s rooted in a powerful truth being people are more than their diagnoses, and no life should be defined by illness alone.
Another upcoming initiative will provide emotional support spaces for patients and families, a chance to pause, reflect, and breathe amidst the often-overwhelming cycles of treatment.
This perspective becomes even more powerful during the holidays, a season that doesn’t look the same for everyone. While some patients are able to go home and celebrate with family, others spend Christmas in hospital wards, where Santa makes his way down the corridors, and celebrations unfold floor by floor. It’s a version of the holidays shaped less by tradition, and more by resilience, care, and quiet moments of joy.
ACLT’s story is a reminder that real change often starts with one family’s courage to act.
From personal loss, Beverley and Orin created a movement, one that has saved lives, changed policy, and redefined what community care can look like.
Through compassion, action, and education, ACLT continues to turn grief into purpose, transforming hope into something tangible and life-saving.
Because even one drop can change everything.
See how ACLT turned personal loss into a movement that’s saving lives.
"These are the people who show up. This is TSB Hidden Heroes."
Know a community hero or local org making real impact? Tag us @TheShadeBorough or email us — we’re always looking for the next story to spotlight.
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