Leicestershire Police has announced that it will work with the Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign to recruit new bone marrow donors to the Anthony Nolan register. They will hold a series of community events across the city and county from 18th May.
Rik Basra, a Leicestershire Police Inspector who received a lifesaving bone marrow transplant 18 months ago, says, “My colleagues at Leicestershire Police have been incredibly supportive ever since my initial leukaemia diagnosis in 2009. I’m living proof of the fact that joining the bone marrow register can make a lifesaving difference to someone with blood cancer.”
Chief Superintendent Chris Haward, who has co-ordinated the events, says, “We are so pleased that Rik’s transplant was successful and he has been able to return to work. Whilst Rik’s friends and colleagues have supported the Rik Basra campaign over the past eighteen months, as an organisation we wanted to do something further to continue to raise awareness of stem cell donation.
“The donor events being held across the Force area in the coming weeks will hopefully boost the numbers of people recruited to the Anthony Nolan register, helping to save the lives of other people suffering from blood cancers.”
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, adds, “Working with Leicestershire Police is a fantastic opportunity as it will allow us to reach even more people in the Leicestershire community. We particularly need young men aged 16–30 to sign up to the register, as they are the most likely to be chosen to donate.”
If you are aged 16–30 and in good health, you can join the register.