Regent College joins bone marrow call to help cure blood cancer

Leicester Deputy Mayor Rory Palmer is calling on the students of Regent College to cure blood cancer by signing up to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register on 26 April. They are working with the Rik Basra Leukaemia campaign, the charity set up by Leicestershire police inspector Rik Basra, who received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant 18 months ago.

The event is also being backed by the family of Aneesa Hussain, an 18-year-old Birmingham resident who desperately needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life. Her best chance of a match will be another Asian person. 

Rik Basra adds, “The reason we started the Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign was to save people like Aneesa. It really is simple and straightforward to register and donate, taking just 20 minutes out of your day will be the first steps in potentially giving someone the chance of life. I was lucky enough to find a matching donor – now we need to find one for Aneesa and others like her.”

Manzoor, Aneesa’s father, says, “To suddenly find out that your bright, bubbly daughter has a life-threatening illness is devastating. Aneesa needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life. Things don't get much more difficult than this. Please help to get as many Asian people on the register so other Asian parents don't go through the difficulties that we are."

Regent College Principal Paul Wilson says, "Regent College is delighted to support this campaign and host an event. We want to promote the importance of community contributions and active citizenship among students and this project enables young people to make a real difference by potentially saving life.”

Rory Palmer says, “I’m urging everyone to come along to this special event at Regent College to find out more about the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register and to sign up. As a governor at Regent I knew the students there would want to get behind this very important campaign. Students have organised this event and we now need lots of people to come along on the 26th to make it a real success.”

The event will take place on 26th April from 10am-3pm, and anyone aged 16–30 is encouraged to come along to sign up. To join the register, you simply fill in a short application form and provide a saliva sample. Anyone who can’t make the event can sign up online at www.anthonynolan.org. 

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