On Feb 22, 1994  Brian May gave an interview to BBC Radio 1.  It
was conducted by Nicky Cambell,  and concerned Brian's involvement
with a bone marrow appeal:

NC : As I was saying earlier on,  Essex toddler Rhys Daniels is facing
another life-saving search for a bone marrow donor - a transplant last
year hasnt worked,  and now the hunt is on for a suitable donor.  Now
one of those who has had tests today to see if he is compatible is
guitarist,  ex-Queen of course,  Brian May.  As patron of the British
bone marror donor appeal he knows that a successful match can mean the
gift of life for a child.  Brian joins me on the phone now after a few
problems earlier on but nothing we didnt sum out.  Brian - how did you
get involved in the appeal ?

BM : How you doing Nicky?  It was a while ago - I've been involved ever
since the used my song,  "Who Wants To Live Forever" about six years
ago,  and I got very passionate about the whole thing.  We've done
various kind of fun raising acitivies,  fund raising - sorry,  and
general sort of awareness increasing things,  but this is a particular
case - as you say it is life or death and the poor little guy need
something very quickly.  So our ,message at the moment is please call
up and come and be on the register - its not that hard to do,  so
thats why I went along today - you know I had my own blood sampled and
they are going to do the tests on it,  and they do this thing called
"tissue typing".

NC : Any word on the results yet ?

BM : No,  I dont know yet,  but I'll know pretty soon.  I think it
takes them about a week to do all the tests.  Its hard to explain this
to you,  because you know if you're trying to match up blood its not
that difficult,  as you probably know - just for a blood transfussion.
 
You've got a one in twenty chance or something of getting a match.
But for this bone marrow business there's something like a one in
40,000 chance of getting the perfect match you need,  so obviously we
need something in excess of 40,000 people on the resister before we
have a good chance of finding a match for every kid.

NC : Yeah,  and this is an on going problem.  Its very gene specific
isn't it and like as far as I understand it for example a Greek Cypriat
would be looking for a Greek Cypriat bone marrow and something like
that ?

BM : Thats right,  yes it goes in families so the first place you look
is amougnst the relatives,  but thats failed in this case so we have
to go out and hope we can find someone.  So somebody listening to your
program at this moment may be the donor we need,  so all we're saying
is please ring up the British bone marror donor association.

NC : Do you have the number handy ?

BM : Well,  I have the address here,  its 18 Warwich Street,  Rugby,
and I think thats what we would like you to do.  Drop a card,  or a
letter or anything and we'll give you the details of what to do.  Its
18 Warwich Street,  Rugby.

NC : Now Brian,  you say he needs it very quickly little Rhys - how
urgent is that?

BM : Its a matter of,  well I think they're saying weeks.  Certainly
not more than a few months.  We've been through this a few times of
course.  I say 'we'  because,  you know - thank God - my kids are
healthy  but we've campaigned with quite a few children and in some
cases - like little Ben - we've found a match and he's fine and its
wonderful.  Some cases we've found - like tragic Catherine,  who did
so much work a couple of years ago,  and we did a record with her and
everything.

NC : Now its laudable what you are doing and I dont want to smuuze
you too much but a lot of rock stars of course are very self obsessed
and dissapear up their own backsides but you are actually doing a lot
here.  Did your sense of humanity get a sort of jolt as a close
friend of yours,  Freddie died,  and you saw him die ?

BM : Oh,  I cant tell you how much really ,  yes of course. Its a major sort
of life-changing thing and I dont think any of us will get over it for
quite a long time.  I guess I'd known Freddie all my adult life and its
huge thing to get over.

NC : Well a lot of children as you say are in need of transplants,
not just little Rhys,  you've given us the address and you've told us
what we can do,  and all I can say to is thanks for being vocal about this
and thanks for coming out.  Cause its a hell of a problem and there
are a hell of a lot of people in difficulties here.

BM : Thats right.  Its so very frustrating - there are a lot of diseases
which  cant be cured and so you know you go round asking for money and
we all get invovled in that.  But this set of diseases can be cured -
quite definitley and its so frustrating to see children losing the
battle just because there aren't enough people on that register.

NC : Yeah,  and of course - ' there but for the grace of God go we'

BM : Absolutely,  any time as well.  So I'll give you the address
once more  if you can bear it.

NC : Go for it.

BM : Its 18 Warwich Street,  Rugby.  The British Bone Marrow Donor
Appeal.

NC : Thats the sort of plugging I can tolerate,  that you know Brian.

BM : Yeah,  well I'm very unashamed about plugging this I'm afraid.

NC : No problems at all!  Its not the same of plugging your book or
anything like that.

BM : No,  no I dont care about that much really.

NC : All the best to you.

BM : Thanks very much - all the best Nicky.

NC : My pleasure.

****

Thanks to Alex Vinall for contributing this to QMS