Twitter support from Bobby’s co-stars and other reality TV stars leads to 3,000 donor sign-ups in a week, a 750% increase compared to same week last year
@BobbyCNorris (Twitter)
Stars of TOWIE, Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore have rushed to offer support to Bobby Cole Norris, whose mum and ‘best friend’ has been diagnosed with leukaemia and desperately needs a bone marrow transplant from a stranger.
Geordie Shore’s Charlotte Crosby and Vicky Pattison have tweeted urging fans to sign up. TOWIE’s Jessica Wright and Chloe Sims have also tweeted pictures of themselves with a #SaveBobby’sMum sign.
Chloe Sims shows her support
Made In Chelsea’s Stevie became the 500,000th person to join Anthony Nolan’s register in December 2013, saying: “It’s crazy to think of half a million people out there, all willing to save the life of a stranger. It’s something we can all be doing – any one of us could be the cure for blood cancer.”
Charlotte Crosby has also spoken out about joining the Anthony Nolan register earlier this year, saying: “I just thought – ‘It’s so easy, why doesn’t everyone do this?’ I was quite shocked that young lads are so underrepresented on the register though. Come on lads, just sign up online and spit into a tube! I’m doing it, and I just hope one day I have the chance to save a life.”
This week has also seen countless #SaveBobbysMum tweets from the likes of Katie Price, Mark Wright, Joey Essex, Lauren Goodger, Sam Faiers, Lauren Pope, Antony Costa, Michelle Heaton and many more, mobilising their millions of young fans to sign up as potential donors and save a life.
Good morning! think positive be positive an good things will follow...! #ThatIWillPromise #SaveBobbysMum @BobbyCNorris
— Elliott Wright (@elliottwright_) August 20, 2014
Gemma Collins said: "You have been so strong I love you lots #SaveBobbysMum." Bobby’s ex-boyfriend Harry Derbidge wrote: "Stay strong babe, we are all here for you."
The #SaveBobbysMum appeal
Last week, Bobby, 27, launched an appeal for bone marrow donors to come forward and save the life of his mum Kym Norris and others who are fighting blood cancer.
Jessica Wright tweets her support
The Anthony Nolan website crashed immediately following his emotional plea on This Morning, and the charity has today revealed that 3,141 people have joined the register online in the past seven days, a 750% increase compared to the same week last year (when just 370 people signed up). On the day of his This Morning appeal, 817 people signed up – a 2050% increase compared to the same day last year.
'Overwhelmed by people's kindness'
“I'm completely overwhelmed by people's kindness,” said Bobby. “Both me and my mum were over the moon to hear about these huge increases in potential donors - any one of the people who has signed up after hearing our story could end up saving a life. It’s given us something positive to focus on at a really difficult time.
“But we still have a long way to go. My mum is one of thousands of people who are still waiting for the news that a matching donor has been found. It’s a really tough time and we’ve got a long road ahead, but I will be supporting Anthony Nolan every step of the way.”
Bobby’s heartfelt interview on This Morning (ITV)
Dental receptionist Kym Norris, 54, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia only a few weeks ago, news that turned Bobby’s world ‘upside down’.
Explaining her search for a donor, he said: “I feel completely helpless right now, but all I can do apart from being there for Mum is to try to raise awareness of the Anthony Nolan register, particularly to young people who are much more likely to go onto donate and save a life.
“For the donor, it’s probably just a case of sitting still for a few hours while the stem cells are taken out of their blood. But for me, and for families like mine, it’s the difference between having my mum around or not. It’s everything.”
Bobby with mum Kym
Young donors aged 16 to 30 are urgently needed by the Anthony Nolan charity, which runs the UK bone marrow register. The charity particularly needs young men to come forward, as they’re the most likely to donate but only make up 14% of the register.
'Thank you to every single person who has joined the register'
Bobby said: “Thank you to every single person who has joined the register this week and pledged to save the life of my mum and others in the same position – you are all amazing. We now really need more boys to sign up as they’re so underrepresented on the register – so ladies, please get your boyfriends, brothers and sons on board and together we will save lives.”
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, said: “What a week it’s been. It’s been truly humbling to see the outpouring of support Bobby has had from fans, co-stars, friends and celebrities, who have rallied behind him at this difficult time and told a combined audience of millions about the simple but life-changing act of donating stem cells.
“Stars and fans from all three of these popular shows have joined the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register, including Bobby himself, meaning they could one day save a life from blood cancer. It’s an incredible and selfless example to be setting young people.”
People aged 16 to 30 and in good health can join the Anthony Nolan register here:
You can also support Anthony Nolan’s lifesaving work by donating to Bobby’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/BobbyNorris
