DKMS is one of the world's largest stem cell donor organisations. As the charity launched in the UK, the challenge was to build awareness, establish trust, and create the infrastructure needed to recruit donors and raise funds at scale.
Working closely with the German headquarters, I developed the UK marketing strategy, established core communications channels, and created the campaign frameworks needed to grow the organisation nationally.
I built the UK marketing and communications foundations from the ground up, translating a globally recognised charity into something culturally relevant for a UK audience. This meant establishing the website, campaign structure, messaging, and communications channels needed to recruit donors and grow awareness nationally.
A key part of the work focused on engaging younger male donors. I led the development of the nationwide campaign Show Blood Cancer What You're Made Of, combining large-scale awareness activity with more targeted grassroots outreach to make donor registration feel visible, accessible, and urgent.
Alongside campaign strategy, I led the creative development of major content initiatives, including an award-winning awareness film produced with Spectrecom Films, overseeing the process from concept and storyboarding through to production.
As the organisation evolved internationally, I also worked closely with the German headquarters and International Marketing Director to align UK activity with global strategy, including supporting the rollout of the Wolff Olins rebrand from Delete Blood Cancer UK to DKMS.
Young male donor registrations increased by 14% across the UK, and the first UK stem cell donation took place during my time at the organisation.
By the time I left, the UK team had registered one million potential donors, contributing to approximately 2,400 life-saving stem cell transplants for people with blood cancer.