Leading blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan’s Chief Executive, Henny Braund, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthdays Honours List, for services to stem cell transplantation.
Since joining Anthony Nolan in 2009, Henny has spearheaded advances in the field of stem cell transplantation that have saved and improved the lives of thousands of blood cancer and blood disorder patients in the UK and globally. Previously Henny was a Director at Shelter, having worked in the charity sector for the last 30 years.
Over the last decade, Henny has overseen the growth of the stem cell registry, ground-breaking research to improve survival rates, developed patient services, and strengthened the charity’s finances and launched a new brand.
Other achievements include leading on the switch from blood tests to saliva samples to collect donors’ DNA more rapidly, the discovery that patients receiving stem cells from under 30-year-old donors led to better survival chances, overseeing efforts to recruit more donors and cord blood for patients from minority ethnic groups who often face barriers, and launching IMPACT, a UK-wide clinical trial network for stem cell transplantation.
Henny Braund, Chief Executive at Anthony Nolan, says: “This MBE is a wonderful recognition of Anthony Nolan’s amazing supporters, staff, donors, volunteers and partners who all work together to ensure patients receive lifesaving stem cell transplants. I am proud of the work they do, and committed to strengthening and growing the charity so that we can save and improve the lives of even more patients.”
Ian Krieger, Chair at Anthony Nolan, says: “We are thrilled that Henny’s contribution to stem cell transplantation has been recognised. Thanks to her tenacity and drive, Anthony Nolan is now able to give the chance of life to three people every day, and the national and international stem cell community is better equipped to meet the needs of patients. Her legacy will benefit future generations to come.”