The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is celebrating 15 years of its lifesaving work with stem cell transplant charity Anthony Nolan.
The partnership was founded by former firefighter Ally Boyle in August 2009 after he was diagnosed with blood cancer and told that the only potential cure was a stem cell transplant.
After his diagnosis, Ally made contact with Anthony Nolan and realised that the organisations had a shared objective, to save and improve lives. He then set about finding a way for them to do that together and the partnership was born.
Since then, firefighters have been going into schools all over Scotland to deliver vital education around blood cancer, blood disorders and stem cell transplants.
Thanks to their hard work, over 20,000 young people have been inspired to join the stem cell register and around 112 people have gone on to donate their stem cells.
The work firefighters do with young people is vital because Anthony Nolan’s world-leading research institute has found that younger donors offer better survival rates for patients.
Anthony Nolan nominated SFRS for two Third Sector awards as part of the 15th anniversary celebrations and they have been shortlisted for both, Frontline Team of the Year and Corporate Partnership of the Year.
Former firefighter and partnership founder Ally Boye MBE, said: "When the partnership was formed, we set out to add 1,200 people to the register over three years…why three years? Because that was what I was told my life expectancy was likely to be.
“So, to be here 15 years later is pretty amazing and I am extremely grateful that my condition hasn’t progressed as quickly as first expected. However, during that time we have seen so many people in desperate need of a lifesaving transplant, and we have used this as motivation to grow the partnership.
The success of the partnership is entirely down to the passion, commitment and dedication of our volunteers and I hope they take this as another milestone that they should feel great pride about. I know how very proud I am of them all”.
Henny Braund MBE, chief executive of Anthony Nolan said: “SFRS firefighters selflessly volunteer their free time to educate young people in Scotland about the Anthony Nolan stem cell register and donation.
“Every single person who joins the register could go on to be matched with a patient for a lifesaving transplant, and thanks to their amazing work, SFRS have signed up 20,000 potential lifesavers.
“We can’t thank SRFS enough for their incredible support over the last 15 years, and we look forward to many more years working together.”
Anthony Nolan recruits people aged 16-30 to the stem cell register as research has shown younger people are more likely to be chosen to donate.
Anthony Nolan has been saving lives through stem cells since 1974. The charity, which matches donors and patients for life-saving transplants, was set up by Shirley Nolan to find a match for her son Anthony who had a rare blood disorder. Sadly, a match was not found for Anthony, but over the last 50 years, Anthony Nolan has facilitated more than 26,500 transplants for people around the world.
The process to sign up to become a donor is easy – after signing up online, you will be asked to answer a few general health questions and then after that, three swabs will be sent to you for HLA testing. Once the test confirms your HLA type, your data will be confidentially stored on a database and should you be a match for someone in need, Anthony Nolan will get in contact.
Joining the Anthony Nolan register is simple. If you’re 16-30 and healthy head to www.anthonynolan.org/sfrs to fill out the form, send back your swabs, and become lifesaver ready.
ENDS
For more information about SFRS please contact SFRS.media@firescotland.gov.uk
To enquire about media interviews, please contact the Anthony Nolan press office press@anthonynolan.org or 020 7424 1300.
Out of hours, contact the duty press officer on 07881 265 285.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Please note: Anthony Nolan changed its name in 2011 and is no longer known as Anthony Nolan Trust.
About Anthony Nolan
Anthony Nolan is a UK stem cell transplant charity with 50 years of expertise in uniting science and people to push the boundaries of what can be achieved for blood cancer and blood disorder patients.
Its world-leading stem cell register matches potential donors to patients in need of transplants. It carries out cell and gene therapy research to increase transplant success and supports patients through their transplant journeys.
Anthony Nolan helps four people in need of a transplant a day, giving more people a second chance at life. But the charity won’t stop until all patients have access to the treatment they need, so many more survive.
Join Anthony Nolan’s register or support its research. Together, with your help, Anthony Nolan can unlock the answers inside us anthonynolan.org
What is a stem cell transplant?
If a patient has a condition that affects their bone marrow or blood, then a stem cell transplant may be their best chance of survival. Doctors will give new, healthy stem cells to the patient via their bloodstream, where they begin to grow and create healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
Key statistics
- Founded by Shirley Nolan in 1974, Anthony Nolan celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
- The charity facilitates around 1,100 stem cell transplants from an unrelated donor every year for patients in the UK and more than 300 for patients abroad. For many, a transplant is their last chance of survival.
- Since its inception Anthony Nolan has facilitated over 26,500 transplants for people around the world.
- Around 90% of donors donate through PBSC (peripheral blood stem cell collection). This is a simple, outpatient procedure. Donors are supported throughout the process by the Anthony Nolan team.
- Currently 14% of the UK Anthony Nolan stem cell register is made up of young men, but they account for more than half of people called upon to donate.
- There is a pressing need to recruit more people from diverse backgrounds to the Anthony Nolan register, to help more patients from minority ethnic backgrounds find the lifesaving matches they need.
- Blood cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer in the UK and the third biggest cancer killer. It accounts for 9% of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in the UK.
- To join the Anthony Nolan register, you must be 16-30 and healthy. Anthony Nolan’s world-leading Research Institute has shown younger donors offer better survival rates for patients.