Frazer is shortlisted for volunteer award
Police officer goes the extra mile for charity
A police officer from Dunblane has been shortlisted for a top award from blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan.
Frazer McFadyen, 29, became a stem cell donor four years ago, while going through his final exams as a trainee.
He has since supported the establishment of Stirling Marrow, a student branch of Anthony Nolan based at Stirling University, and driven forward a collaboration between Police Scotland and the charity.
Three donor recruitment events with Police Scotland have already taken place.
Frazer has now been shortlisted for the Simon Dyson Volunteer of the Year Award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2016, which is in its fourth year to celebrate, recognise and thank supporters who keep the pioneering blood cancer charity moving forward.
Frazer said: “I learned a lot about Anthony Nolan and blood cancer through the experience of donating, and about the need for more donors.
“I realised that patients are dying because of a lack of young, fit people signing up to donate, and that’s who the police recruitment attract. It seemed like a perfect match.”
As part of the ground-breaking collaboration, probationers are given the opportunity to hear a presentation during their time training at the Police Scotland College and will have the opportunity to join up as a potential donor for someone in need of a lifesaving transplant.
At the launch of the partnership on October 4, probationers who chose to join the register were asked to fill in a medical form and give a saliva sample. They will be added to the register and notified if they are a match for someone in need of a stem cell transplant.
As many as 800 recruits can be trained in a year at the college based at Tulliallan Castle in Kincardine, Fife. They will be invited to a donor registration event at the college, which will also be open to serving officers who are visiting the college.
To register as a potential donor, people must be aged 16-30, weigh at least 50kg and be in good health. The charity is particularly looking for more young men to join, as they are currently underrepresented on the register.
Frazer added, “It would be really great to see loads of police officers, particularly young men, joining and helping to tackle the inequalities that exist on the donor register.
“It would be brilliant for people to see this as part of being a police officer.”
Anthony Nolan uses its register to match potential stem cell donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a transplant. It also carries out vital research to make stem cell transplants more successful, and supports patients.
Henny Braund, Chief Executive at Anthony Nolan, said: “Frazer is an incredible supporter of the charity and we’re delighted that he has been shortlisted for this award. He has been a huge part of what has been achieved in Scotland and has been directly involved in events that have recruited over 200 new donors.
“Frazer really has gone above and beyond in his commitment to the charity and we’re so grateful for everything that he does.”
The awards ceremony takes place on November 22 in the House of Commons and winners will be announced at the event. For more information, go to www. anthonynolan.org/awards