Charity appealing for army of volunteers to educate Wirral students about the importance of bone marrow donation

Apr 7 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

AN army of volunteers is being sought to go into schools and colleges in Wirral to inform students about the importance of bone marrow donation.

The Register & Be a Lifesaver campaign (The R&B Campaign) has been set up by The Anthony Nolan Trust, NHS Blood and Transplant and the family of journalist Adrian Sudbury, who died from leukaemia at the age of 27.

He spent the last few months of his life campaigning for better education and information for young people on the importance of bone marrow donation.

The campaign will see specially trained volunteers, known as “Adrian's Army”, going into sixth forms and colleges.

It also seeks to address the major shortage in donors from black and other ethnic minority communities.

Earlier this year the News featured the stories of leukaemia sufferers Jenny Wilkinson, from Wallasey and Candice Colley, from Thingwall, who were both looking for suitable bone marrow donors.

Project manager Carole McAlpine said: “We would like to see every local sixth form and college taking part in the R&B Campaign and at the same time we're looking for many more volunteers to step forward and inspire those students to be tomorrow's life savers.”

Training for volunteers will take place in Liverpool on Sunday, April 25.

For more information call 07900 561750 or e-mail carole.mcalpine@anthonynolan.org.uk