We've mapped our register of potential cell donors for the first time
We've also received support from Prime Minister David Cameron, who's calling for more lifesaving donors on our bone marrow register:
Our CEO, Henny Braund said:
“It’s wonderful news that David Cameron is backing this campaign and that he has recognised the role that MPs can play in increasing the number of potential donors in their communities.
“Two thirds of people who need a lifesaving bone marrow transplant can’t find a donor within their own family, so it’s absolutely vital that people join the Anthony Nolan register. We are hugely grateful to David Cameron for highlighting this important issue, and we now need even more people to join the fight against blood cancer and champion the register at a local level, as we know such support works.”
Londoners are the most altruistic people in the UK
For the first time, the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register has been mapped across the UK by local area, revealing surprising insights into the people of Britain.
Despite their unfriendly reputation, the new data reveals that Londoners are more likely to have pledged to donate their stem cells to a stranger than people from any other region.
More than 80,000 people in the capital are now signed up to the register, set up forty years ago to help find lifesaving matches for people with blood cancer who desperately need a stem cell, or bone marrow, transplant.
In percentage terms, that makes Londoners the most likely to be on our register (0.97% of London’s population), which now comprises more than 520,000 people.
More donors are urgently needed
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development, said: “Donating stem cells to save the life of a stranger is a remarkably selfless act so it’s great to see so many Londoners challenging the city’s stereotype and signing up to our register.
“Two thirds of patients will not find a matching donor from within their families; instead they turn to us to find them an unrelated donor. Even though London has the highest proportion of donors of any region, it’s still less than one per cent of the overall population of London, which shows us that we urgently need to recruit donors from all over the UK so we can give people with blood cancer the best possible hope of a cure.”
People aged 16 to 30 can join the register, just by filling in an online form and giving a spit sample. They will then stay on the register until they are 60.
Other selfless hotspots are the East Midlands (0.91%), Scotland (0.89%) and the South East (0.87%). The high numbers of donors in these areas are thanks to the success of local people championing the register in their community.
The power of the 'patient effect'
“What we’re seeing is the ‘patient effect’,” explains Ann O’Leary. “In each of the top areas, there have been families who, when faced with the news that their loved ones need a transplant, have poured their energies into appealing for donors to join the register. The results speak for themselves. It’s inspiring to see how a community can make such a huge difference.”
The data also reveals the areas with lower numbers, which we now want to target.
“Mapping the register in this way will help us to target our efforts in order to grow the register and save more lives,” explains Ann O’Leary. “We now need people all over the UK to join the fight against blood cancer and champion the register at a local level – as we know it works.”
How you can help
We need heroes of all ages to help spread the word, from schools, communities and workplaces to friends and family. Be a hero - visit www.anthonynolan.org/superhero
Which regions have the most donors, and why?
Here are just a few examples of some of the amazing families and communities who have boosted the register in their area:
London: We're based in London which means awareness is strong, and we target potential donors living in the city due to its ethnic diversity.
An example of a patient appeal in London was the The Spit4Mum campaign, launched by Jonni and Caroline Berger from Harrow, whose mother needed a bone marrow transplant. In the first four months of 2013, over 1,000 Jewish people joined the Anthony Nolan register as a result. Many other patient appeals have also taken place in London, helping us to recruit more potential lifesavers.
East Midlands: In Leicester alone, there are three constituencies that feature in the top 30 for the whole of the UK.
A number of hugely successful patient appeals have taken place in the area. For example, transplant recipient Rik Basra from Leicester campaigns tirelessly for people to join the register, and has set up the Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign, which works closely with local schools and universities to recruit young people as potential donors.
Teenage cancer survivor Bethany Mickleburgh’s campaign in 2011-12 inspired local people and even MPs to champion the register in Leicester, and Beth set the world record for the most people to sign up at a single event in Anthony Nolan's 40-year history. The local media is also very supportive and Leicester was heavily involved in Anthony Nolan’s recent campaign to recruit more people of Asian origin on to the register.
Scotland: Anthony Nolan benefits from fantastic support in Scotland. Examples of Scottish patient appeals which have boosted our profile in Scotland include:
Noreen Siddiqui, Glasgow: Following her daughter Ayesha’s diagnosis with leukaemia, Noreen raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for our work nearly £200,000 and encouraged local people to sign up and support Anthony Nolan.
Ally Boyle, West Craigs: Ally and his colleagues at the Fire and Rescue Service have signed up over 5,000 new donors to the register. Ally won the Anthony Nolan Supporter Award for Recruiter of the Year in 2013.
Ryan Ferguson, East Kilbride: Transplant recipient Ryan inspired thousands of people to join the bone marrow register, including an incredible 1074 people in one day. The Ferguson family has raised tens of thousands of pounds for Anthony Nolan to help other people in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Brothers Euan and Arran MacLeod from Caithness both have Chronic Granulomatous Disorder and need a transplant. Their parents have campaigned and raised vital funds for Anthony Nolan this year.