Anthony Nolan and David Mundell on the hunt for selfless superheroes to save lives.
The charity Anthony Nolan is searching for more local heroes in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale to join their bone marrow register in the fight against blood cancer. Championed by local MP David Mundell, this search is underway as the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register has been mapped across the UK by local area for the first time.
The charity has revealed today that, in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale there are more than 700 selfless people willing to donate their stem cells, or bone marrow, to save the life of a stranger. More than 525,000 people are currently on the Anthony Nolan register and the average per constituency is 796.
Anthony Nolan, now in its 40th anniversary year, was the world’s first bone marrow register. The blood cancer charity has been saving lives for four decades by matching remarkable people willing to donate their bone marrow to patients in desperate need of a transplant. Two thirds of UK patients will not find a matching donor from within their families; instead they turn to Anthony Nolan to find them an unrelated donor. But the charity can currently only find a match for around half of those who to come to them in desperate need, and they still urgently need more people to come forward.
Local MP, David Mundell, has joined the fight against blood cancer by sharing their superhero selfie for Anthony Nolan to show their support and champion the register in their community.
David Mundell says: ‘There are 724 heroes on the register here in Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweedale but the challenge continues. Anthony Nolan are looking for more donors to sign up today, so we can fight blood cancer together. It is something truly heroic to give a stranger a second chance at life. This is why I’m proud to champion this cause and encourage my constituents to get involved.’
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, says: ‘We are delighted that David Mundell has been inspired to encourage others to sign up as donors. Donating is an incredibly selfless thing to do and will give someone with blood cancer their best chance at survival. What many people don’t realise is that it is also surprisingly simple.’
To join the Anthony Nolan register you must be 16-30 and in good health. It involves filling out a simple online form and spitting into a tube.
The charity needs heroes of all ages to champion the register at a local level and help us spread the word – from schools, communities and workplaces to your own friends and family. Be a hero - find out how you can help by going to www.anthonynolan.org/superhero