Members of the Immunogenetics Research team working in the ANRI laboratory

Our organisational strategy

We are Anthony Nolan. We are pioneers in transforming the lives of those needing stem cell transplants across the globe.

What’s on this page?

Unlocking new ways to treat every patient

We have half a century of experience and expertise in matching donors, saving lives and transforming futures for patients. But we’re still learning, still growing and still pushing the boundaries. We know there is so much more that can be done and we’re ambitious about doing it. So our strategy is ambitious too.

A word from our CEO, Henny Braund

I’m delighted to share this new five-year strategy with you. I’m so proud of all we’ve achieved over the past 50 years, but we need to do even more. Because we know not everyone who needs a transplant can access one, and not everyone who has a transplant survives. And we know that simply surviving is not the same thing as thriving.

We’re deeply committed to the patient of today and the patient of tomorrow and we are determined to achieve the most we possibly can for everyone who needs us.

We’d love to have you with us for the journey

CEO, Henny Braund

Our history

Over the next five years we’re determined to embrace the opportunities and innovations that we know will change the outcomes for so many more patients. Because they need and deserve nothing less. This pioneering spirit is what inspired Shirley Nolan in 1974 and is what still drives us today. It’s part of our natural evolution as an organisation and it’s our duty to continue to build on her incredible legacy.

Over the next five years we’re determined to embrace the opportunities and innovations that we know will change the outcomes for so many more patients. Because they need and deserve nothing less. This pioneering spirit is what inspired Shirley Nolan in 1974 and is what still drives us today. It’s part of our natural evolution as an organisation and it’s our duty to continue to build on her incredible legacy.

Our vision

A future where every patient who needs us can survive and thrive.

Our purpose

Uniting people and science to unlock the cures, treatments and transplants that will transform the future for more patients. 

Our aims

We are excited about what the future holds for our work and for every patient who needs a stem cell transplant or cell therapy. We have a lot to do but over the next five years we will focus particularly on the three areas of our work where we think we can have the greatest impact, and make the biggest difference for the most people.

A young man wearing a cap and sunglasses. His t-shirt reads: the cancer fighters
Lewis, aged 17, had a transplant to treat acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia.

Aim 1 – Survival

To give every transplant patient the best chance - and quality - of life.

My recovery was arguably the hardest part of my entire journey. So many emotions, a whirlwind, in fact. Anger, anguish, despair, disbelief, to name just a few. There’s the psychological impact of you being in hospital and everything that’s happening to you and everything that could go wrong, but also coming to terms with what’s happened to you.

Lewis

10-year-old Zara, a stem cell transplant recipient, in hospital, smiling wearing a colourful jumper.
Zara who had acute myeloid leukaemia and underwent a stem cell transplant.

Aim 2 – Equity

To ensure all patients have the best access to, experience of and outcome from, treatment.

We come from Indian origin, and we knew that it was more difficult to find a match if you’re from an ethnic minority background, so we were very worried. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a perfect match in the whole world. In the end, they were happy to go ahead with a 6/8 match. So, she had her transplant on 16 June. Because it was a mismatch, it meant she had a lot of complications afterwards.

Mum of 10-year-old Zara
13-year-old Alyssa smiling while lying in a hospital bed.
Alyssa, 13

Aim 3 – Progress

To explore and embrace new cell therapies and make them available for patients more quickly.

Alyssa, 13, is the first patient in the world reported to have received a base-edited cell therapy to treat her resistant leukaemia. She was enrolled on to a new clinical trial involving genetically modified CAR T-cells at Great Ormond Street Hospital to treat her ‘incurable’ cancer. Just 28 days after receiving the modified T-cells, Alyssa was in remission! Without this experimental treatment, her only option would have been palliative care.

Find out more

Read more about our incredible patients and the strategy that will help us achieve so much more for them.

How we’ll achieve our aims

We’ll use the most powerful tools we have available to make these ambitions a reality:

  • Discovery – Our pioneering research helps us push boundaries and influence for change.
  • Data – Gathering and understanding rich data gives us vital insight into each patient’s needs.
  • Donors – Anthony Nolan’s work simply wouldn’t be possible without our incredible donors.

Be part of something amazing

We hope you’ll want to join us in these exciting future plans. Here are three easy ways you can be part of it and start saving lives today. 

  1. Spread the word
    Want to help us reach more supporters? Share this strategy with anyone you think will listen. Follow us on social media and get your friends on board too.
     
  2. Join the register
    If you’re aged 16-30, follow this link to see if you’re eligible to sign up as a potential donor. We’ll send you a swab kit if you are and you’ll be joining our incredible community of potential lifesavers. 
  3. Raise funds
    Whether you want to run a marathon, organise a cake sale or donate some of your salary at source, our fundraising team is ready to hear from you here. 

Find out more

If you want to know more about Anthony Nolan and our ambitious plans to transform the lives of our patients now and in the future, read our full five-year organisational strategy: