Mark Tami MP supports lifesaving education programme

Alyn & Deeside MP Mark Tami showed his support for the Anthony Nolan ‘Register and Be a Lifesaver’ education programme at an information session in Parliament this week.

The event was an opportunity to meet R&Be volunteers who deliver inspiring presentations to 16-18 year old students about the importance of bone marrow, blood, and organ donation.

Mark Tami MP said,

‘I have been a long term supporter of this exceptional programme that exists to dispel the myths about donation and inspire young people to join the bone marrow, blood and organ donation registers.’

Callum McDonnell, who is on work experience with Mark Tami MP, signed up at the event: ‘We need more young men aged 16-30 to register, as we are most likely to be chosen to donate but make up just 12% of the register.

Signing up is so simple and we can save lives by doing so.’

Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer.

Whilst around 1,800 people in the UK need a bone marrow transplant each year and this is usually their last chance of survival.
Register and Be a Lifesaver has reached over 127,000 students since it was established in 2009.

As a result, 6,700 young people have joined the Anthony Nolan bone marrow donor register, and so far eight people recruited have donated life saving stem cells.

Working in conjunction with NHS Blood and Transplant, over 8,409 young people who heard R&Be talks have joined the blood donor register and 3,038 have signed up as organ donors.