Match4Lara: 60 of you register to save a life

An overwhelming response from those wanting to save lives at an Anthony Nolan event, saw people being turned away.

The Match4Lara and Anthony Nolan campaign on Wednesday say 60 people turn up. A second registration session, and a second chance to save a life, will be held next week at Aidan’s.

The three hour session, inspired by the Match4Lara campaign and organised by the charity Marrow, wanted Durham students to save a life by simply spitting into a test tube and registering as a bone marrow donor.

The unprecedented turn out at the Mary’s event meant the team from Marrow ran out of spit kits, with 60 being tested and many more attending.

Lara Casalotti, who’s brother is currently studying at Mary’s, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia in December 2015 is currently waiting to find a life-saving bone marrow match.

Lara told The Tab: “I am really encouraged and inspired by the response of the student community.

“Everyone who volunteered at the Marrow drives achieved huge sign up numbers, thank you, and thank you to everyone who has signed up.

“I think many people have realised how easy it is to register and how important it is, so that is why so many people have signed up”.

Emily Rose-Morgan, who organised the event, told The Tab: “The turn out on Wednesday was unbelievable, in 3 hours we signed up more people than in our past two SALS at city campus colleges.

“The more people we can sign up the more lives we could potentially save both now and in the future, as people are on the register until they are 60, so we’re really excited about increasing Marrow’s presence in Durham City”.

Sharon Taylor-Watson, a first year psychology student at Stephenson, recently discovered she was a match after having registered as a donor 20 years ago and gave the incredible gift of life by selflessly donating her bone marrow last Monday.

She emphasised the support that the nurses and volunteers from the charity Marrow. She said: “I’m not sure if it was the excess stem cells in my body or the amazing feeling of giving someone the chance of life but I felt better than I had before the injections started and still do 3 days on.

“If anyone has the chance to do this amazing process I certainly would encourage them, a couple of days of an achy back was more than compensated for by the feeling of doing something amazing, saving a life.”

There is another session on Wednesday 10th February, with 300 spit kits available. You can even do the test in the comfort of your own home, by registering online and ordering a spit kit.