SIXTH FORM: The gift of life

“HOW many of you, if you, or one of your family or loved one's lives depended on it would want a blood, organ or stem cell transplant?”

That’s the question speaker Steve Silver from the Anthony Nolan charity asked Ripon Grammar School sixth formers in one of our latest enrichment lectures.

“I expect each and every one of us would want that, wouldn’t we? However, not everyone put their hand up to say they’re donating.

“We need to sort out that imbalance.”

Mr Silver, a former RGS parent, told how he has been involved with the charity, which makes lifesaving connections between patients in need and incredible strangers ready to donate their stem cells, since 1997.

He joined the bone marrow register after a colleague of his died after contracting leukaemia: “Although Colin received a transplant he died from post-operative complications, leaving a wife and young family behind.”

He presented the facts of bone marrow, organ and blood donations as part of the Anthony Nolan Hero Project campaign to encourage young adults to consider becoming donors.

Ever since Shirley Nolan founded the charity in 1974, the legacy of her son Anthony – who suffered from a rare blood disorder and died aged seven after a stem cell match could not be found - has given hope and a second chance of life to thousands of blood cancer and blood disorder patients.

The charity also carries out cutting edge scientific research, fund specialist post-transplant nurses and support patients and their families through the transplant process and beyond.

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