Every day, Anthony Nolan saves the lives of people with a blood cancer or blood disorder. We do this by matching incredible individuals willing to donate their stem cells to people who desperately need a lifesaving transplant. We also carry out cutting edge scientific research, fund specialist post-transplant nurses and support patients and their families through the transplant process and beyond. We won’t stop until we save the lives of everyone who needs a stem cell transplant. Every penny you donate brings us closer to that day.

📣Please Read📣

Hi lovely family and friends. Sadly, after 6 years, this week marks my final week as a Marrower and as a farewell to Marrow I’ve decided to take on one last fundraiser before hanging up my Marrow cape (see picture). Some of you may know that in just a few weeks I’m running the bath half marathon, well… just two weeks later I’ll be taking on another half marathon for Marrow! 

Two half marathons in two weeks? My knees already hate me (I really should give them a rest given they’re still recovering from viral fatigue… but hey I couldn’t not finish my 6 years with Marrow without one final fundraiser). 

I wish I could put into words how much this charity means to me but I don’t know where to begin, so I’ll attempt to return to my scientific roots and hit you with some stats to try encourage you to spare a penny instead. 

I can’t pinpoint exactly when I started volunteering with Marrow but I can pinpoint when I was elected into my first committee role . On March 20th 2017 I was elected as @birmingham.marrows president. That’s 1,995 days ago. Everyday AT LEAST 5 people start their search for a matching unrelated stem cell donor to save their life. That means that from the date I was elected as President to today AT LEAST 9,975 people have been told their chances of survival are slim without a genetically similar stranger being on the stem cell register and being willing to donate their stem cells. 

Every day Anthony Nolan gives 3 people a second chance at life through facilitating unrelated donor stem cell transplants and whilst this is amazing 2 people are unable to find their matching donor. This means that over the course of my Marrow career 3,990 people were unable to find their lifesaving donor. One person losing their life due to insufficient people on the stem cell register is one life too many. I can hardly stomach thinking about the 3,990 people and their families suffering whilst waiting for their leaving donor that never came, and that’s just 3,990 people since I was elected onto a Marrow committee. Heartbreaking. 

This is why I continue to campaign on behalf of and fundraise for Anthony Nolan. Every single person that needs a stem cell transplant should be able to find their lifesaving donor. 

Although after this week I will no longer be a Marrower, the fight to save the life of everyone who needs a stem cell transplant will continue. Please help me work towards the goal of saving more lives by donating what you can to this incredible charity. 

Pennies and pounds mean life savers are found. Thank you all for your continued support of this fantastic charity. 

P.S. Thank you Anthony Nolan for saving the lives of so many people I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know over the past few years and providing those that have faced blood cancer with a lifeline of support and I’d also like to say thank you to James Kustow and the Marrow team for creating, maintaining and improving Marrow to save more lives and also as a way for those who have had blood cancer or know someone that has to give back and help others. 

P.P.S; NR, VB, KG, FL, LP, VL thank you for sharing your incredible stories, you inspire me everyday. And to all the other marrowers out there thank you so much for everything you do. You truly are making a difference.