Why do we raise stem cell donor awareness in Northern Ireland?
Every 20 minutes in the UK someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer or blood disorder and for many patients their only chance of survival is Donor Stem Cell transplant. With only a 30% chance of finding a match from a family member most will be reliant on a complete stranger having joined the Stem Cell Donor register at Anthony Nolan or DKMS.
Every year, 30 or more people from Northern Ireland need to find a non related stem cell donor to have any chance of survival. Fundamentally, the more donors we can get on board, the more hope we can create.
Why did we approach IPL teams.
Simply because donors between the ages of 16-30 provide the best possible long-term outcomes for patients. We also particularly want to reach out to young men in this age group as they are more likely to be chosen to go on and donate but are significantly underrepresented on the register. Football is at the heart of the community and its audience of young people, and particularly young men, is an amazing opportunity for us to raise Stem Cell Donor awareness, as there are likely to be many potential young lifesavers amongst team’s supporters. We just need the opportunity to show them how. In the coming weeks we will visit all premiership teams to raise Stem Cell Donor Awareness with their fans.
It’s simple to register click on one of the links below:
www.anthonynolan.org (Age 16-30)
www.dkms.org.uk (Age 17-55)