AFRICAN CARIBBEAN Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) co-founder and CEO Orin Lewis will receive an OBE at a ceremony held at Windsor Castle later today.
Lewis was awarded for his contribution to healthcare in the Queen’s 2012 New Year’s Honours list
"It does fill me with joy that our efforts over the last 15-16 years have been recognised to the extent that first Beverley in October 2011 and now I, have been awarded this prestigious honour," Lewis said.
He and Daniel’s mother, Beverley De-Gale started the ACLT to help raise awareness of the need for donors and to find a matching bone marrow donor for Daniel. Daniel later overcame childhood leukaemia and inspired thousands of black and mixed-race people to become blood and bone marrow donors.
Sadly, Daniel died from unrelated health complications in October 2008, aged 21.
Earlier this year, Orin told The Voice: “I feel very blessed to receive this award for what I do. My passion is for helping others to save lives and help those in need. I feel very honoured, very lucky. I gladly accept the OBE on behalf of myself, but more importantly on behalf of my family, Beverley and Daniel.
“It’s a shame he is not physically here with us but I know he will be smiling. He’ll be very pleased that in the last 12 months his mother received an OBE (in October 2011) and now I have received one.”
“I thank the community for supporting us and continuing to support us in what we do, which is trying to save lives,” he said.