Student volunteers across the UK have recruited an incredible 6,000 bone marrow donors just in time for Christmas. For someone with blood cancer, that’s 6,000 more chances of a cure.
Marrow, now in its fifteenth year, is a network of student groups based in 42 Universities across the UK which sign up university students to blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan’s register. Anthony Nolan then uses its register to match these donors to patients in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.
As younger donors are more likely to be chosen to donate, Marrow’s recruitment is vitally important to Anthony Nolan’s work. For every 100 people who have been recruited by Marrow, one has gone on to donate bone marrow, or blood stem cells, to a stranger. In the last three months alone, 36 people who were signed up by Marrow have gone on to donate and potentially save a life.
Charlotte Connolly, Marrow Recruitment Manager at Anthony Nolan, says, “Marrow volunteers have been working tirelessly over the last few months and these results are just incredible. We know that young people are more likely to called up as donors so Marrow’s work in recruiting fit, young donors makes a lifesaving difference to people with blood cancer.”