The students saving lives
Up and down the UK, hundreds of volunteers and nearly 50 Marrow groups are busy recruiting new donors to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register and raising lifesaving funds.
We’ve reached an incredible milestone...
200,000 potential lifesavers recruited by Marrow!
For 26 years, Marrow’s dedicated network of student volunteers has been recruiting people to the stem cell register, giving hope to patients in need of a transplant. This achievement belongs to every volunteer who has given their time, passion, and energy over three decades.
Together, you’ve helped build a legacy of lifesaving impact - and we’re not stopping there!
Join marrow
Have you heard about Marrow on your campus and you're keen to start volunteering and saving lives? Fill in this form and we will let you know how to join the Marrow group on your campus or get in touch about setting up a group.
Confused about what forms you need to fill in? Email marrow@anthonynolan.org and we can help!
Since Marrow was founded, thousands of student volunteers have...
Recruited more than an incredible 200,000 potential lifesavers to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register
Raised over £I million to support Anthony Nolan’s vital work
Raised awareness about Anthony Nolan and how we save lives through stem cells
Back to the beginning
- Marrow was founded in 1998 at Nottingham University when James Kustow, a third-year medical student, heard his friend Karen had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
"It hit me hard and I felt that I couldn’t just sit there and not do anything, especially as I was a medic. I knew very little about blood cancer, so I got in touch with Anthony Nolan and with their support set up a one-off donor clinic, with some fellow students, to help find a match for Karen."
- After running a successful event, James and his friends decided to run a few more and set up a committee to establish a vision for Marrow.
"We wanted to give every student in the country the opportunity to join the stem cell register and we decided on a young and catchy name, Marrow."
- The groups began to grow and spread across the country, with universities being the perfect place to recruit young potential donors with an endless intake of students.
"Marrow has distinguished itself by growing from the passion and commitment of a small team of young people. As an Anthony Nolan trustee now, I continue to have one eye on Marrow to ensure it continues to be this unique, young, intelligent workforce that is a valuable part of the charity."
Donating stem cells was a massive deal to me, knowing I could do something to help someone so much. While it was daunting, I was looked after so well by everyone at Anthony Nolan, who sorted everything for me so I never needed to! So it was a no-brainer that I wanted to pay it back. Everyone at Marrow was so helpful and supportive with my challenge and helped me think of different ways to fundraise along the way.
Rowhyn, stem cell donor and Sunderland Marrow volunteer
What does volunteering with Marrow involve?
There are three key parts to Marrow’s mission that you can help with:
- Raising awareness – by posting on social media, holding events and running talks around campus, Marrow volunteers help raise awareness of blood cancer and blood disorders, stem cell transplants, and Anthony Nolan.
- Signing up new stem cell donors – volunteers are trained to run recruitment events across their campuses (and beyond!) to give every student the opportunity to join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register. Research has shown that the younger a donor is, the better chance of survival a patient has – so signing up students is key!
- Fundraising – Marrow groups hold fantastic fundraising events. From bake sales to bucket shakes, sponsored runs to sparkling balls, they raise thousands of pounds to support Anthony Nolan’s vital work.
All of this amazing work helps to give more and more patients with blood cancer or a blood disorder another chance to live.
I was in my second year at Newcastle University wandering around the Freshers’ Fair when I stumbled across the Marrow stall; I recognised the Anthony Nolan logo but didn’t know what ‘Marrow’ was. I already knew the positive impact of the charity so was keen to get involved. It’s been so rewarding to boost awareness of Marrow on campus and help hundreds of students join the stem cell register. I’ve had so many amazing experiences through Marrow - meeting new friends, hearing inspiring stories, attending conferences and even being invited to meet the King and Queen! But nothing compares to the pride you feel when you hear that someone you signed up has gone on to donate and potentially save a life.
Hiruni, volunteer at Newcastle Marrow, including being President, from 2022 - 2025.
What you get for volunteering with Marrow
- Training and support - all our volunteers are trained in how to recruit someone to the stem cell register. You’ll also get bucket loads of support and ideas for campaigns from dedicated members of Anthony Nolan staff.
- Attending conferences and events - our annual Marrow National Conference and regional events are a brilliant opportunity to meet your fellow lifesavers, hear the latest Anthony Nolan news, and watch inspiring patient and donor speakers.
- Boosting your CV - organising events and committees, managing volunteers and public speaking – there are so many new skills to develop and then show off on your CV! It’s also great for portfolio pages – you’ll get some nifty certificates, as well as reference opportunities.
- Freebies and fun - from T-shirts to tote bags, we’ll make sure you’re kitted out to save lives! Marrow is also the perfect way to meet new people as you work together on a shared cause. So many of our volunteers make lifelong friends, which leads us onto…
Learning about how some people never find a match, especially people from minority ethnic backgrounds, inspired me to join Marrow at university – in fact, it was the only society I looked out for at the Freshers Fair!
Elly, stem cell transplant recipient and Marrow volunteer
I’ve now been a Marrower for three years, and since graduating have moved over to alumni – but while at uni, I took part in Exeter’s most successful fundraising year yet and joined the National Marrow Committee in my last year.
Life(saving) beyond Marrow with Marrow Alumni
Just because you graduate doesn’t mean your lifesaving work has to stop. Marrow Alumni is a thriving community of graduates who are working with Anthony Nolan to make a massive difference.