Birmingham man dies after battling rare form of blood cancer. Ed Fox was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus driven lymphoma and hemophagocytosis last May and was the focus of a global appeal to find him a bone marrow donor.

Ed Fox with his girlfriend Katrien Credit: Press Handout

The girlfriend of a Birmingham man who is seriously ill with a rare form of blood cancer is appealing for potential stem cell donors to come forward.

Ed Fox was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus driven lymphoma and hemophagocytosis last May and has since undergone heavy chemotherapy.

Ed Fox has undergone chemotherapy since May 2013 Credit: Press Handout

Ed moved to Gent, Belgium last year to be with his girlfriend, Katrien, but it was during the months before moving that Ed developed the Epstein-Barr virus, which in only the very rarest of cases causes cancer.

In almost all cases the Epstein-Barr virus results in Glandular Fever, but Ed explained, "However, with me it caused an aggressive form of cancer and on top of that I have a rare complication from which 50 percent of the patients die within a year."