Yesterday saw a record beating number of donors signing up to our register, during a recruitment drive organised by the One Spit Wonder Campaign at Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College in Leicester
The event on Thursday 20 March was outstandingly successful, adding 575 new potential donors to the register. That makes it the largest drive we’ve ever run in a college, and our most successful recruitment event in the last two years.
This number could easily have been higher as the donation kits ran out almost two hours before the advertised end time. One Spit Wonder will hopefully return to the college very soon.
Recruiting more BAME donors
One Spit Wonder are a working alliance formed by the The Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign, De Montfort University’s Mile2 Team and our Leicester Marrow student group.
They run regular registration drives across the Leicester area to recruit more stem cell donors, particularly focusing on those from BAME backgrounds who are currently underrepresented on our register.
Amazing effort as @OneSpitWonder @Help4Rik_RT @AnthonyNolan @QEStuServices add 575 recruits to stem cell register! pic.twitter.com/lDzFyR6uPH
— DMU Square Mile (@DMUSquareMile) March 20, 2014
Rik’s story
Rik Basra was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2009, and received a successful transplant through Anthony Nolan in 2011.
Since then he and his wife Kas have worked hard to increase the number of BAME donors on the register, as blood cancer patients from those backgrounds have just a 40% chance of finding a suitable donor.
He said: “The One Spit Wonder Campaign has had fantastic success and I had absolute confidence that Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College would boost donor numbers even further.
“The college undeniably pulled out all the stops, there was a real excitement and enthusiasm around the place with student volunteers actively helping raise awareness and interest.
“It really was a fantastic fun day with students providing music and entertainment to really make it a carnival atmosphere and encourage even more people to sign-up, in record numbers. Every person registered really does have the potential to save a life.”
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at Anthony Nolan, said,
“We’re very pleased with the success of the ‘One Spit Wonder’ campaign at Queen Elizabeth College which encouraged a record number of students to join the bone marrow donor register. Anyone who joins the register could be a lifesaving match for someone in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.
"We especially need young people from ethnic minority backgrounds to sign up as they are under-represented on the donor register. We’re extremely proud to support the ‘One Spit Wonder’ campaign and the tremendous work that they’re doing to help to save lives.”
UK record broken yesterday 576 students registered with Anthony Nolan at Wyggeston Queen Elizabeth college... http://t.co/KNAWmoAUte
— Rik Basra (@Help4Rik_RT) March 21, 2014
How you can help
Joining the Anthony Nolan register involves filling in a form and providing a saliva sample and, for those called to donate, in 90% of cases the procedure is similar to giving blood.
To join the register, you must be aged between 16 and 30. You can help save a life by clicking here to register.