Students to hold bone marrow donor drive

The Warwick Marrow Group is holding a Donor Recruitment Drive on Monday 28 January from 10am-5pm in the Life Sciences Building.

They are hoping to encourage young adults to join the bone marrow donor register to help save the lives of those with blood cancers.

The Group represents the Anthony Nolan Charity, which focuses upon Leukaemia and Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Often those with blood cancers only have a chance of cure if they turn to the register; in 30 percent of cases family members are not a match.

The Recruitment Drive on 28 January will provide spit kits and sign up forms. If a donor has a tissue match with a patient requiring a transplant, the donor will be asked if they would like to donate stem cells.

First-year graduate entry medic, Amey Burrows, clarified in an interview with RaW: “There is quite a lot of fear and confusion around bone marrow donation. A lot of people think it is long and painful and they put a big needle in your hip.

“We are here to tell you it is not like that at all. 90 percent of the time it is just like giving blood”, she said.

Chloe Merrion and Jess Wright are also first-year graduate entry medics, like Ms Burrows. All three are clinic coordinators for the Warwick Marrow Group. They explained how they want to expand to the main campus, rather than the majority of participants being situated in the medical department.

Expansion is essential. Only 50 percent of people waiting for a transplant are ever able to receive one, highlighting the need for further young people to join the register.

It is not just bone marrow that is in demand, as organ donors are also on the decline and it is now more important than ever for people to consider signing up to these registers.

The Warwick Marrow Group has a page and a volunteers group on Facebook, where they organise both fundraising activities and recruitment drives.