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{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Indian name|Devaanshi|Mehta}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Devaanshi Mehta
| image = Devaanshi in hospital.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Devaanshi in hospital in 2009
| birth_name = Devaanshi Mehta
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1996|12|18}}
| birth_place = [[Harrow, London|Harrow]], London, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2012|06|28|1996|12|18}}
| death_place = [Great Ormond St Hospital, Bloomsbury, London, England
| death_cause = chronic oblierative lung disease/pulmonary fibrosis
| nationality = British
| other_names =
| education = [[Cannon Lane Primary School]]<br />[[Nower Hill High School]]
| known_for = Asian Donor Campaign (ADC)/Raising awareness for the need for more ethnic donors
}}
'''Devaanshi Mehta''' (18 December 1996 – 28 June 2012) was a British - Indian student and humanitarian. She started the Asian Donor Campaign (ADC),<ref>{{cite web|title=Asian Donor Campaign|url=http://www.asiandonorcampaign.org|accessdate=26 February 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506110225/http://asiandonorcampaign.org/|archivedate=6 May 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> a UK-based non-profit organisation whose goal is to raise awareness for the need to get more Asians to donate their blood, bone marrow and organs. ADC also raises funds for hospitals doing research into critical and life limiting illnesses.

==Biography==
Devaanshi was born to Harkant and Kalyani Mehta in the [[Harrow, London|Harrow]] suburb of London. She was one of four children born into a [[Hindu]], [[Gujarati people|Gujarati]] family. She had two older sisters, Jyotika and Tejal, and a younger brother, Dushyant. She went to the [[Cannon Lane Primary School|Cannon Lane]] and Pinner Wood Primary Schools, before attending [[Nower Hill High School]].

At the age of nine, Devaanshi was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow condition [[aplastic anaemia]] (bone marrow failure). She underwent a bone marrow transplant in April 2007 and a top up of bone marrow in February 2008 at [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] in London. Both donations were made by her younger brother Dushyant who was her sibling match. However, she was left chronically platelet and red cell dependent after the transplant. In addition, she inherited her brothers' rarer blood type AB-. Therefore it became increasingly difficult to source negative platelets for her, and she organised appeals via the media. This motivated Devaanshi to investigate problems other children faced sourcing blood, bone marrow and organs. She learnt that it was extremely difficult for people to find these products at the right time, because there were a lack of donors within the Asian community as a whole. These events inspired her to start fundraising and raising awareness regarding the importance of blood, bone marrow and organ donation, especially for the Asian communities. Asians have traditionally avoided donating blood and organs due to social or religious misconceptions.

In 2010, Devaanshi's [[Pneumothorax|lungs collapsed]] and she had comprehensive lung surgery at [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] for children in [[Bloomsbury]], London. Consequently she was put on palliative care. While her health was deteriorating, she organised charity fundraising events from her hospital bed. She also gave a number of interviews on television, radio and in print to raise awareness.<ref>{{cite news|title=A fundraiser offering Indian meals makes the news|url=http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2012/03/29/blood-transplant-girl-s-indian-meal-fundraiser-116451-30644206/|accessdate=26 February 2013|newspaper=Harrow Observer|date=29 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Girl, 13, will 'bleed to death' without donors|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/girl-13-will-bleed-to-death-without-donors-6489136.html|accessdate=26 February 2013|newspaper=Evening Standard|date=7 July 2010}}</ref> Devaanshi also wrote a blog titled "My Story in My own Words", where she spoke candidly about her treatment and prognosis.<ref>{{cite web|title=What Now???|url=http://devaanshim.blogspot.com|accessdate=26 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=14-year-old needs regular platelet transfusions|url=http://www.aclt.org/index.php/appeals/showappeal/172|accessdate=26 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Best foot forward for transplant girl|url=http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/1157533.best_foot_forward_for_transplant_girl/|accessdate=26 February 2013|newspaper=Harrow Times|date=30 January 2007}}</ref>

==Death and influence==
Devaanshi died on 28 June 2012 at the [[Great Ormond Street Hospital]] after a lengthy battle with her lung condition and chronic platelet transfusion dependency.<ref>{{cite news|title=Friends and teachers pay tribute to Devaanshi|url=http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2012/07/18/friends-and-teacher-pay-tribute-to-devaanshi-116451-31420578/|accessdate=26 February 2013|newspaper=Harrow Observer|date=18 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Campaigning and fund-raising schoolgirl, 15, with blood disorder dies|url=http://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2012/07/05/campaigning-and-fundraiding-schoolgirl-15-with-blood-disorder-dies-116451-31322974/|accessdate=26 February 2013|newspaper=Harrow Observer|date=5 July 2012}}</ref> She wrote: "Nothing more can be done for me now, but I want to make a difference to other children."

On 29 September 2013, nine staff members from [[Nower Hill High School]], which Devaanshi had attended, cycled 36 miles from the school to [[Windsor Castle]] in Berkshire to raise [[Pound sterling|£]]1,000 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital where she died.<ref>{{cite news|title=Teachers' sponsored bike ride in aid of late pupil raises £1,000|url=http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/incoming/staff-nower-hill-high-school-6133128|date=3 October 2013|newspaper=Get West London|accessdate=6 May 2014}}</ref> The staff at Nowerhill continue to do the annual bike ride in memory of Devaanshi every year since her death. There is also a pack placed in her school in her memory.

== Awards ==
Devaanshi won the Jack Petchey Award for her fundraising and awareness campaigns in 2010,<ref>{{cite web|title=Jack Petchey|url=http://www.jackpetcheyfoundation.org.uk/?about_us/major-programmes/anthony-nolan-campaign/devaanshi-mehta.html|accessdate=26 February 2013}}</ref> and was nominated for the [[Justgiving]] Young Fundraiser of the Year in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Just Giving Awards 2012|url=http://blog.justgiving.com/community/justgiving-awards-2012-finalists-announced/|accessdate=26 February 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408035735/http://blog.justgiving.com/community/justgiving-awards-2012-finalists-announced/|archivedate=8 April 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Devaanshi was also recognised by the Well Child Foundation for the most inspirational child in the 12-15-year category in 2012.

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
Anthony Nolan. Org
* {{YouTube|HUvTqpnmzhc|Video – An Incredibly Beautiful Girl}} Gosh walk(youtube)
* [[Mehta|Notable Mehtas]]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehta, Devaanshi}}
[[Category:1996 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Harrow, London]]
[[Category:English people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:English humanitarians]]
[[Category:Indian humanitarians]]

Devaanshi Mehta - Revision history

>Tom.Bot: Task 6: +{{Authority control}}, WP:GenFixes on