St Albans leisure centre hosts recruitment event this evening to find donors for stem cell transplants

A stem cell donor recruitment day to find lifesavers for people suffering with blood cancers is being held at Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre today.

The recruitment day, which runs from 5pm to 8.30pm, has been organised by the Everyone Active team at Westminster Lodge in support of their colleague Chris Spencer who underwent a stem cell transplant through the Anthony Nolan charity after being diagnosed with bone marrow failure in June 2013.

Anyone aged 16-30 and in good health can become a donor and to register, participants just need to drop into Westminster Lodge on the day, fill in a short medical form and provide a saliva sample.

Once registered, donors will remain on the register until the age of 60, unless they chose to be removed from it sooner.

Everyone Active general manager, Lesley Garner, said: “We’re looking forward to hosting a recruitment day to raise awareness and help support Anthony Nolan’s invaluable work,

“For thousands of people with blood cancers such as leukaemia, their only hope of survival is a donation of healthy stem cells. We’re giving the public the opportunity to see whether they’re a match.”

Among those helping on the day will be Rachelle Emberton whose children Emma (six) and Sam (four) both have Fanconi Anaemia which causes bone marrow failure and are in need of bone marrow transplants.

A donor has been found by Anthony Nolan for Sam and he is due to have a transplant when he is a little older but a match has yet to be found for Emma who needs her transplant within the next few months.

There is no need to book in advance and for more information, contact the centre on 01727 736080 or visit www.everyoneactive.com.