John Stones is in a hurry. The Manchester City defender is leading the search for a donor after learning about a four-year-old boy who desperately needs a bone marrow transplant.
Dillan, whose mum is friends with Stones' partner, had been responding well to treatment after being diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of one but has now been told by doctors that an operation by October is his only hope of survival.
On hearing the news, Stones began working with blood cancer charity DKMS and attended a testing event at City's academy stadium last week to show his support.
The England star hopes to be back in Pep Guardiola's squad for the next two home games - Tottenham on Saturday and Dortmund on Wednesday providing they go ahead following the death of the Queen - after missing the Champions League win over Sevilla with a minor injury, but has helped to organise a pop-up testing centre in the City Store at the Etihad where anyone can turn up and spend less than ten minutes of their time to see if they can be a potential match. Also read:Man City invite kids from Manchester hospital to join annual squad photo With just three per cent of the UK population registered as potential donors, and a fraction of that number coming from minority ethnic communities, Stones and DKMS hope that the drives at the next two City home matches can help to raise awareness of the life-threatening illness and potentially find a match for Dillan and others. "From hearing Dillan's mum speak and the facts that are difficult to hear and for it to be happening to such a young boy makes it even harder," Stones told the Manchester Evening News. "That was the initial reaction for us to try and do something and help and find a stem cell match for