Shirley Nolan’s incredible legacy of lifesaving
When Shirley Nolan’s baby boy, Anthony, was born in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant she was determined to do everything in her power to save him. But in those days there was no register of potential stem cell donors making her search for the stranger that could save her son impossible. Shirley set up the world’s first stem cell register in her son’s name – and with it our charity – vowing that no child should die like Anthony had, waiting for a donor. We are proud to have continued her pioneering legacy for more than 50 years since, and given more than 28,000 people another chance to live.
1971 - Anthony Nolan is born
Anthony Nolan is born with a rare blood disorder called Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. The only cure is a bone marrow transplant.
None of his family were a match, so the search for an unrelated matching donor begins.
1974 - The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register is founded
Shirley Nolan founds our charity, and the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register is born: the first of its kind in the world.
Today, it’s helped more than 28,000 people receive a lifesaving transplant.
1979 - No match is found for Anthony
Sadly, no match for Anthony could be found and he died aged seven.
Shirley continues her work in his honour, encouraging more members of the public to join the register.
1988 - The founding of Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide
Anthony Nolan becomes a founding member of Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide. Now, patients and lifesaving donors can be connected all around the world.
1993 - Building of the Anthony Nolan Research Institute begins
Today, its work is at the leading edge of cell therapies, as we push the boundaries of science to find new treatments that will help transform lives.
1994 - 1,000th patient helped
The Anthony Nolan register helps its 1,000th patient, matching them with an anonymous donor and giving them the second chance of life that Shirley believed everyone deserved.
2000 - Peripheral blood stem cell collection starts
Medics start using peripheral blood stem cell collection regularly for life-saving treatment – it is quicker, easier, and less painful than bone marrow collection.
In 2001, to mark this step forward, The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust changes its name to The Anthony Nolan Trust.
2008 - The UK's first cord blood bank
Anthony Nolan sets up the UK’s first dedicated cord blood bank enabling more than 60,000 new mothers to follow in Shirley’s life-saving footsteps, by donating their babies' umbilical cords for transplant and research.
2000 - Saliva samples allow for easier sign up
Joining the stem cell register becomes even easier. Potential donors can now give saliva samples instead of blood.
Still moving forward, The Anthony Nolan Trust becomes Anthony Nolan.
2014 - Funding Clinical Nurse Specialists
The funded Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) programme is established, Today, we have funded 12 CNSs across the UK, all of whom are dedicated to helping people through their stem cell treatment journeys.
2017 - Working with partners to improve transplants
Working in partnership with Leukaemia UK and NHS Blood and Transplant, the IMPACT programme is launched – aiming to improve stem cell transplants through clinical trials.
2018 - Cell Therapy & Laboratory Services (CT&LS) launches
Anthony Nolan launches its CT&LS to support the next generation of patient treatments.
2023 - 900,000 people on the register
The 900,00th person joins the stem cell register, taking Shirley’s vision to new heights.
2024 - Our 50th celebration
2024 marked 50 years of saving lives through stem cells at Anthony Nolan.
We marked the anniversary and developed a new look and feel for our brand.
2025 - Our Cell Collection Centre opens
We're improving the nationwide capacity for stem cell donation by opening our own Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre in Nottingham.
Your support saves lives right now.
Please help us make sure we can be there for every patient that needs us and keep saving lives through stem cells for many years to come.
Make a donation
£10 goes a long way to helping our scientists conduct ground-breaking research that will save lives over the next 50 years.
£30 could pay for an hour of a specialist post-transplant nurse’s time – someone who offers invaluable support to our patients and their families, particularly during this difficult time.
£40 could add a donor to the stem cell register – that donor could go on to save the life of a child like Anthony.
A gift of £5 a month helps to ensure our volunteer couriers can deliver lifesaving stem cells to a patient in waiting.
A gift of £10 a month could sign up three lifesaving stem cell donors every year.
A gift of £15 a month could help pay for our umbilical cord collection programme – making little lifesavers of babies only minutes old!