Your club. Your community. Someone’s second chance at life.
Did you know that GAA clubs across Ulster have recruited over 900 potential donors to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register since June 2017? That's incredible.
If you’re aged 16–30, you could join these fantastic people who are ready and waiting to save the life of someone with blood cancer.
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to help someone. Through the whole process, you do feel the importance of what you’re doing. You’re giving someone a chance to live.
John, who signed up in 2018 at a football training session and donated later that year
I kept thinking about who my stem cell were going to. During the donation, someone from Anthony Nolan came to visit and they said how this would give the patient and their family hope. That was good to hear.
Joseph, who signed up in 2017 at his local sports club and donated in 2019
Here are the facts
1. You can join online!
You’ll get a pack in the post for you to do a cheek swab and send back. We’ll test your sample and add your information to the stem cell register.
2. You’ll stay on the register until you’re the grand age of 61
If you ever come up as a match for someone with blood cancer, we’ll be in touch.
3. We’ll organise the whole thing
We support you at every stage of your donation and arrange everything, from travel to accommodation. We've got it all covered.
4. There are two ways you might be asked to donate
90% of people donate via their bloodstream in a straightforward process called peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection.
"When you’re actually on the bed donating, it doesn’t feel awkward or painful. It was quite relaxing to be honest, just sitting in the bed. The only thing is, you’re there for four hours – but four hours out of your life, to give someone the chance of life? It’s nothing. It’s more than worth it."
Aaron, who donated via PSBC
10% have their stem cells collected via their bone marrow. The procedure is done under a general anaesthetic.
"Bone marrow donating done! I can honestly say it has been an amazing and surprisingly pain-free experience (I am a wimp!). Knowing I’ve given someone a second chance at life is such a fantastic feeling"
Donna, who donated via bone marrow
GAA club FAQs
Can I join the register if I live in the Republic of Ireland?
You can only join the Anthony Nolan register if you live in Northern Ireland. If you live in the Republic of Ireland, you can join the Irish Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry.
Why do you need to be aged 16–30?
Legally, you can only give ‘informed consent’ to join when you’re over 16.
A stem cell donation is voluntary and wouldn’t directly benefit you, so your parent/guardian can’t give consent on your behalf.
Our upper age limit is 30 because our research has shown that stem cell transplants work better if the donor is younger so we focus our limited funds on recruiting donors aged 30 and under
Ready to register? Join now! Once you're on it, you could be asked to donate until you turn 61.
Why do you need to recruit more men?
Young men aged 16–30 make up only 18% of our register but provide over half of all donations. We need more young men to sign up as they're underrepresented - even though hospitals are much more likely to choose them to donate.
Do I need to be willing to donate via both methods?
You should be open to considering both methods of donation but do not have to agree to definitely donate via both methods when you join the register.
The options of donation will be discussed with them further if you come up as a potential match with a patient.
Is there more than one bone marrow register in the UK?
Anthony Nolan, The British Bone Marrow Register (operated by NHS Blood & Transplant), The Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry (operated by the Welsh Blood Service) and DKMS UK all recruit donors in the UK.
All these organisations add their donors to a single UK registry, the Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry, which Anthony Nolan manages.
Aged 31+ or want to support in other ways?
If you’ve already signed up to the stem cell register and want to support Anthony Nolan further, there are lots of ways you can get involved with our lifesaving work.
Could you fund a lifesaver?