Catherine Lynch, a nurse from Manchester, decided to volunteer for Anthony Nolan after her boyfriend Chris lost his fight with leukaemia in 2009. Catherine volunteers for the Register and Be a Lifesaver (R&Be) programme and delivers presentations to 16 -18 year old students about the importance of blood, bone marrow, and organ donation.
Catherine says, ‘Initially volunteering gave me a support network after losing Chris, but it has now developed into something I really enjoy and feel passionate about. I have gained life long friends from volunteering as the R&Be team is a very close network of volunteers and mentors who work tremendously together.
‘The R&Be mentors never fail to recognise their volunteers’ efforts and time regardless of how much or little the volunteer can give. The training and support available for R&Be volunteers is exceptional and any new volunteers feel completely supported through their initial training session before being gradually introduced to presenting alongside the regional mentor.
‘My biggest achievement is delivering over 50 presentations and hopefully inspiring thousands of young people to become donors, whether it be for stem cells, blood or organ donation.
‘My favorite part about volunteering is interacting with these young adults and seeing with my own eyes how inspired they are after a presentation. Having students actively stay behind asking questions during their lunch break because they are so inspired is testament to how mature these students are!’
Catherine works in a team of 134 volunteers who deliver presentations to students in Yorkshire, the Midlands, Merseyside, Bristol, and Greater London. Find out more about the Register and Be a Lifesaver programme.