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.

I'm happy to say I have been on the bone marrow register for quite a few years! I had to get a blood sample taken to be added so happy to see it is even easier now. Wishing Ailidh good health sooner rather than later. I liked the pictures on the JustGiving page, what a wee trouper she must be.

I've just posted off my sample. Will donate a little something to the Just Giving page now.

Thank you very much to everyone who has donated so far

I have donated. Best wishes to you and your family Expat. I hope a donor is found soon. I will look into donating bone-marrow via the Blood Donor service, thanks RatherBe.

Great idea.

I can't go in the register unfortunately due to previous health problems but have donated.

I've registered, just waiting for my kit. If I get drawn I'd like it to go to expat and family please!

I've donated. Well done to MNHQ and the clever MN crafters

Can I just point out Aillidh is spelled with 2 L not one. :) It is a different spelling to Eilidh, same pronounciation though

So expats dd is AILLIDH :)

Lenin all of them will be searched, including those in other parts of the world.

Thanks to Justine for setting this up - I am too old to donate bone marrow but not too old to donate cash!

I joined the register years ago (thankfully as too old now!).

Don't forget to tell them if you move though! I was asked for further samples some years back as nearly a match, and the new owners of my old house drove the letter around to us. Apparently the trust had to write to them and ask if they had a forwarding address as they are not on the usual list of Utility Bills & Banks that you automatically tell.

Great cause :)

@giraffesCanGoFirstFootingOnNYE

Can I just point out Aillidh is spelled with 2 L not one. :) It is a different spelling to Eilidh, same pronounciation though

So expats dd is AILLIDH :)

Thanks, giraffes. We (I ) left out one of the 'l's on the Just Giving page: have just sorted.

I'm not able to register as a bone marrow donor (latex allergy) but have donated on Justine's page. Glad to hear that the blanket is being 'raffled' for such a great cause as well. I've seen the blanket (when it wasn't quite finished) and some of the finished ones, and they are simply stunning. So much hard work and love knitted into them.

no prob. Just been up to hosp and saw the lovely Aillidh :)

What a great idea. Will donate when I get home and sign up for the register when we move to Scotland.

Can't we send the blanket to Aillidh please? Have donated loads previously and am on the register too.

I wondered that too, lisad123 or we could make a cotton one which would be soft against her skin.

They could back the wool with cotton.

Have made a donation of money - too old for bone marrow unfortunately. Hope the MN campaign will benefit many people and that Aillidh gets her match and will soon be on her way to recovery.

Donated, as others have said if I win I'd like to donate the blanky to Aillidh.

I'd definitely encourage people to register to be a bone marrow donor too - and if you have any male friends please encourage them too...! Men are apparently much less likely to be on the Anthony Nolan register and Men from ethnic minorities even less so.

Getting on the register is very easy - just a quick mouth swab these days and then that's it. If you ever matched someone who needed your bone marrow cells you do still get a chance to opt out.

just for info, for those who haven't heard...
there is already a blanket well on its way for Aillidh :)
(but also a lovely idea from those who would want a 'prize' one sent to the family!)

MrsShrek, you beat me to it. I was just about to post the same thing!

And a big thank you to all those who've donated money this evening