‘I thought my itching was because of the gym - now I could have only one chance at survival’

A woman who put her itching down to going to the gym has now been told she may only have one chance at survival.

Asia Sharif, 27, first noticed she had swollen glands in her neck in January 2023. She then began experiencing itchy skin a few months later – the irritation being so bad she couldn’t sleep or “live a normal life”.

Asia, who lives in Deansgate, was then given the devastating news that she had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare cancer which develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands throughout the body.

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She was initially diagnosed last year and told she was in remission in April 2024. However, just two months later, medics confirmed her cancer had relapsed.

The 27-year-old software engineer is currently having chemotherapy at The Christie, but has been told a stem cell transplant may be her only chance of survival. Asia is now desperately searching for a stem cell donor.

Asia is half-Somalian and half-Moroccan, and her mixed heritage means it can be more difficult to find a match.

She has partnered with charity Anthony Nolan to launch the Register for Asia campaign in a bid to encourage healthy 16 to 30-year-olds from all backgrounds to sign the stem cell register.

“It can be harder for people like me, who are from minority ethnic backgrounds, to find a match, that’s why I’m sharing my story, and hoping to inspire people to register,” Asia said.

“If you’re matched with someone in need, your stem cells could literally save their life. There are lots of good people in the world who genuinely want to make a difference and I think this is one way to really do that. It’s a blessing to save a