Got a spare fiver? Please help raise awareness for bone-marrow donation and Anthony Nolan by donating whatever you can - you could win a legendary MN blanket!

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello. We know many of you have been posting on misdee's thread about expat's DD Aillidh, who has leukaemia, and you have been doing sterling work to raise aware for the Antony Nolan register, and for bone-marrow and cord-blood donation.

Many of you have also been posting questions for the Antony Nolan team on our Q&A thread (answers coming soon).

And now the lovely, lovely MN blanket-makers have offered to donate one of their legendary blankets, in Aillidh's name, to prod us all to do more to help raise awareness of Anthony Nolan.

You can see some of the gorgeous blankets the MN "Woolly Wonders" have made before here.

So here's the plan...

We have created a Just Giving page, where anyone who wants to (that's all of you, though, right? ) can go to donate whatever you can manage to Anthony Nolan.

Anyone who posts on this thread (hopefully about having just visited the Just Giving page - but also about other stuff, too) will be entered into a draw to win the blanket.

We can't make donating a condition of entering the draw (for legal reasons), and we won't check who has or hasn't donated before we pick the winner, but we hope most of you will want to donate a little something - and that the chance of winning such a beautiful handmade MN-y prize will make you feel even more warm and lovely inside when you do.

[wannaBe]

sticky please helen?

:)

[HelenMumsnet]

Already done

[wannaBe]

ah excellent ... stickyfied... :)

[PippiLongBottom]

I'm donating myself...kinda. I have registered today to be a donor. Does that count?

[Bicnod]

Done MNHQ - good call to do this :)

I tried to sign up to be a donor with Anthony Nolan a while back but I'm not eligible unfortunately - I'd encourage other MNers to look into it as well (here)

[KnottyLocks]

The blanket is being made from spare squares left over from the Blanket projects, so no need to volunteer to knit or crochet this time. Thanks.

[MinnieBar]

Is this an existing blanket or is another one needed? I can contribute a square or two (am already on the BM register) but I can't see a thread if it's a new one.

[KnottyLocks]

Minnie, I have quite a pile of spares from the previous blankets so no new ones needed. Thanks for the offer though

[GlaikitFizzog]

Done! DH's test kit has arrived today and I am already on the register. Such a good cause that often gets overlooked. Hope we reach the target! :)

[KnottyLocks]

So no new blanket sign up thread.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Here I am! Now off to Just Giving, this is a marvellous idea x

[KnottyLocks]

Er, Helen, no need to enter me in the draw

[RebeccaMumsnet]

@KnottyLocks

Er, Helen, no need to enter me in the draw

ha ha! Maybe if you name comes out we can find you some nice

[KnottyLocks]

Stranded, I understand what you mean.
The recent blankets have been made for families who have had a bereavement. Three of the ones made in the last few months have been for people who have lost someone to cancer.
It be a such a wonderful thing if we could prevent another family from suffering a loss to such a condition by offering a blanket in this way.

[KnottyLocks]

Helen, any gratefully accepted.

[Onetwothreeoops]

I have received my Antony Nolan saliva kit today. Probably not worthy of an MN blanket but I'm excited enough to share. The letter is addressed to Dear potential lifesaver

[missorinoco]

MN, what do you think about encouraging people to become bone marrow donors in your OP? I know the money is vital, but presumably more BM donors would also be helpful?

Not trying to create an argument here, so if you don't think this is a good idea feel free to say "No," and delete me.

BW expat, am already on the register, and will donate.

[LaVitaBellissima]

Stranded maybe if you won you could donate to a hospice local to you

[lubeybooby]

Oh what a lovely lovely idea - I will make a donation on the justgiving page but it will have to be after pay day - not too far away now thank goodness

I'm also waiting on a q&a answer or two to see if I can register to donate. I hope I can :)

[whomovedmychocolate]

Done. If I win, can you please send the blanket to Ailidh!

[MrsPotter]

I got my saliva sample kit thing through the post today so I'm getting there with regards to becoming a proper donor!

[HelenMumsnet]

@missorinoco

MN, what do you think about encouraging people to become bone marrow donors in your OP? I know the money is vital, but presumably more BM donors would also be helpful?

Not trying to create an argument here, so if you don't think this is a good idea feel free to say "No," and delete me.

BW expat, am already on the register, and will donate.

Yes, more BM donors would definitely be helpful. Apols: that's being so well covered in misdee's thread, we didn't think to repeat it all...

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

I know we are focussing here on Anthony Nolan HelenMumsnet - but for those of us who are the other side of 40, there is the option of donating bone-marrow via the Blood Donor service, you can register there until you are 49.