The number of potential male bone marrow donors has soared in the last three weeks, says leading blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan. The increase comes on the back of an urgent appeal for men to join the bone marrow register, which Anthony Nolan uses to match potential donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.
On average, about 25% of all online applications come from men, but this has risen to nearly 40% since the start of August. The campaign has received consistent media coverage during the month which has led to a 25% increase in website hits since its launch, while its “What is a real man?” video has received over 1,500 views to date.
“The rise in men joining the register is extremely positive news – but we still have a lot of work to do,” says Henny Braund, Anthony Nolan’s Chief Executive. “Men account for around 80% of bone marrow donations yet young men make up just 12% of the register – even with the recent increase in male potential donors, there’s still an imbalance that we urgently need to address. The fact remains that transplant centres are overwhelmingly choosing male donors, so we need to ensure that we’re providing transplant centres with the donors they need. Failure to do so could have serious implications for blood cancer patients around the country.”
Young men aged 16–30 are the most likely to be chosen to donate, yet account for just 12% of the Anthony Nolan register. To sign up to the register, please visit www.anthonynolan.org.