Are you on the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow register?

[mears]

What have I started today!

DH and I are both on the register. You pay a donation and they send you the necessary blood bottles for your GP to take, and then you post it off. DH couldn't get an appointment because of work so I took his blood at home. He was worried that I would accidentally inject him with air and kill him

excellent mears. I have all the info and for DH too but he can't do it yet because he's on Antidepressants.
everyone should do it.

Oh god, whatever next mears. Isn't bone marrow removal (??) really painful >whimpers

Mears, so they don't actually have to take anything from you (except blood) unless you are a match for someone?

Do you know how to register on the scheme?

but oliveoil if you had heard the story of the couple with 4 boys, all in need of a transplant you'd sign up straightaway. You've given birth for gods sake - wants a bit of bone marrow

by the way - saw on another thread that you went to priestnall school - I live round the corner from it!

see here
anthony nolan

I've been on the register for about 15 years, got called in for further tests about 10 years ago cos they thought they had matched me, but I wasn't a close enuf match to donate

You need to be over 18 and under 50 (I think). Men and ethnic minorities are in particular short supply. The donation is voluntary and can be as little or as much as you can afford. If you are a match, it will require a few days in hospital and you will experience some discomfort, but you aren't at risk.

Everybody SHOULD do it, katierocket is right. Children die every week for lack of a bone marrow donor - its not difficult or time consuming or painful

Get on that register
Anthony Nolan Website

Great minds katierocket!!!

I did a link, I did a link!! And it worked!!!!
Yippee

Can they take the blood if I am pregnant - I presume they can but not bone marrow until I have given birth??

Yes Bone Marrow harvesting is really painful appaently but I think you can be put out for it.

This is a very very good thing to do. I haven't but keep thinking I should. My brother has just run the Marathon des Sables (across Sahara)to raise money for the Anthony Nolan Trust.

Oh you can't join if pregnant or have a child under 12 months!!

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Me and dh are on the Blood Serice one. But now I can't give blood (had a transfussion since 1980), would I still be able to donate if I was a match??

i'm the same luckymum...transfusion in 1996. i think i'm on the AN list anyway..how do i check if i'm still on

I wanted to be but i need to have some blood tests first to check the level of antibodies in my blood. Will get arouind to it eventually, promise.

If you joined a long time ago, it is worth checking you are on the list. I did this ages ago, went to a special session at a doctors surgery when they were first setting up the register but when I checked a while ago when there was an appeal for a little girl I was not on the list. If you give blood then you can ask for the blood to be taken for Anthony Nolan when you give blood - they have leaflets there but do not give them out or advertise the fact which I think is a shame.

I have ust looked at the website. I need to lose some weight before they will accept me. It is only a few pounds but I register when I have done it.

Thta's great that people do this to help the lives of others...would love to do this...last time I looked it was about £50 to do it, or sponsorship or something

Mum2ela - it is only a blood sample initially to get a tissue match. It would only be if that matched you would be asked to donate marrow.

I've been on the Anthony Nolan register for years. I asked when I donate blood if I needed to go on their register too, but apparently it's not necessary as they check both registers when looking for a donor.

Where did you look, Baldrick? I've never seen any mention of paying to do this. True, some donors fund-raise, but that is their own decision. There is no obligation to pay anything.

yes we are, extremely obvious thing for us to do, what a gift to give someone if you ever got a match!

If you are on the AN register you will know because they send a newsletter 2 or 3 times a year.

I didn't pay to register either (never heard of that before). They hold registration sessions every so often at clinics, colleges etc, and that's how I joined. If you called them I'm sure they could tell you when there is to be a session in your area.

You have to come off the register while pg and for about 18m after, but then you phone them and they 'reactivate' you.

It seems a simple enough thing to do to give someone the possibility of life. But if the call does come through and I'm asked to donate, I think I will be a bit frightened...imagining that this could be my child looking for life will be what makes sure I do donate if asked.

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