MP wants more men to join crucial donor register

The MP recently joined a cross-party Parliamentary event to celebrate the number of people who are registered as stem cell donors, and found that just over a third in his area are male, while the average age is 35.

Now he is encouraging more people, particularly men aged 16-30 and people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, to register as stem cell donors and make sure that a match is available for everyone in need of a transplant.

While anyone on the register could be a match for someone with blood cancer, men aged 16-30 are most likely to be asked to donate, and are currently under-represented on the Anthony Nolan register.

In total, 645,000 people in the UK are on the Anthony Nolan register, any of whom could be a match for someone with blood cancer – and be asked to donate their stem cells to give a patient a second chance of life.

Stuart McDonald said: “It’s great to hear that 986 people from the local area have selflessly volunteered to give someone a second chance at life.

“Donating stem cells is straightforward but it could make an enormous difference to someone with no other chance of a cure.

“I’m proud that so many people from Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintiloch East have already registered and I hope that more people will be inspired to sign up and show that together, our communities can provide a cure for blood cancer.”

For more information about the All Party Parliamentary Group for Stem Cell Transplantation, visit http://www.appg-stemcell.org.uk/

For more information about Anthony Nolan, visit www.anthonynolan.org