Men refuse to join stem cell register

SHOCKING statistics from blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan reveal that almost half of young men from the East Midlands will not sign up to the blood stem cell or bone marrow register for any reason.

At least 46 per-cent of those surveyed said they would not sign up, despite the possibility of saving a life being a reason to do so.

The findings have been released to cast light on the attitudes of young men aged 16-30 and encourage more of them to sign up to the Anthony Nolan Register.

Anthony Nolan’s campaign, March of the Men, is championing the complexities of young men, saying that there’s no such thing as an average man.

The campaign shows that every young man is unique, and it’s their one of a kind DNA that could save someone’s life.

Men aged 16-30 are 3.5 times more likely to be chosen as a stem cell donor than average. However, they make up just 15 per cent of Anthony Nolan’s register.

Henny Braund, chief executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “It’s incredibly important we raise awareness among young men about the power they have to save a life.

“The young men from the East Midlands who have already made the decision to sign up to the stem cell register have done something incredible, and by that token they are anything but average!

“We know from the countless lives saved by selfless young men that they are far from apathetic. However, this poll shows that there is still work to do in terms of addressing myths and concerns surrounding stem cell donation among young men.”

To join the register, all you have to do is fill out a form and provide a saliva sample. If you are a match for someone, donating involves a straightforward outpatient procedure, and 90% of the time the process is similar to giving blood.

Find out more about Anthony Nolan’s March of the Men campaign atwww. anthonynolan.org/NotAverage