Year 10 have been learning about Stem cells today and need your help to get more people signed up to the stem cell register!

 What are stem cells, you may ask… Stem cells play a vital role in medicine and treatments for patients with blood cancer. These cells are undifferentiated (this means they don’t have a particular job or function yet) but can turn into a wide range of cells – because of this, they have the power to potentially save lives. 

People living with blood cancer need a stem cell transplant to improve their chance of survival. However, this transplant can only come from an individual who is a very close match – and these can be very rare to find.

Anthony Nolan is a charity which works to encourage people to sign up as a potential match (as well as other fantastic work!). We would like to encourage anyone aged 16 or over to join their stem cell register. It’s quick, easy and painless – all you need to do is send off a spit sample in the post! If / when you are identified as a genetic match, you will be contacted to donate stem cells and save a life.

“For someone with blood cancer or a blood disorder, an amazing stranger donating their stem cells could be their best chance of survival. If you sign up to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register and one day come up as a genetic match, you could be that amazing stranger. Without you, there is no cure. “

Find out more about the donation process by watching this video: Donor Diaries: Abbey – YouTube

And you can sign up by following this link: Join the stem cell register | Anthony Nolan