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Hi! My name is Val, and I'm so excited to share that I will be partaking in Skydiving for Blood Cancer Awareness Month on behalf of Anthony Nolan Charity!
Anthony Nolan’s world-leading stem cell register, groundbreaking cell and gene therapy research and expertise in stem cell transplants means we currently help four patients a day in need of a transplant, giving more people another chance to live. But we know we can, and must, do more. Driven by patients, backed by stem cell donors, powered by science, and with your support, we won’t stop until we’ve uncovered the lifesaving potential of the cells inside us all, and every patient can survive and thrive.
This charity was named after Anthony Nolan, a 7-year-old boy who had passed from a rare and severe blood disorder back in 1979. The only means of treatment at the time was an experimental bone marrow transplant, which his mother, Shirley Nolan, tirelessly campaigned for. His story and legacy has led to the discovery of the world's first stem cell and bone marrow register, which has saved countless lives.
As a children's nursing student, I have witnessed the fear and the doubt that children with these illnesses experience and understand that these pose as significant and terrifying times in their lives. As nurses one of our responsibilities is to alleviate distress and pain, and I want to give children like Anthony Nolan or anyone who suffers from blood disorders a stronger chance of getting the treatment they need. For Blood Cancer Awareness month, I urge you to sign up for the stem cell register if you are aged 16 - 30 and in good health. You could save anyone who needs it in the world; the charity identified that those in minority ethnic backgrounds have a significantly harder time to find a match!
My goal with this fundraiser is to alleviate fear; hence I've chosen to to partake in skydiving on behalf of Anthony Nolan to conquer my own fear of heights, while using this as an opportunity to raise money to facilitate ground-breaking stem cell research, raise awareness on blood disorders and encourage stem cell registration.
Please keep posted on my Instagram @val.spooky for any updates, goals, and fun bits regarding this event, and I'll see you in the skies in September!
Thank you so much for your support and I hope you can join me in this cause <3 x