We urgently need more people to register as potential stem cell / bone marrow donors.
Over 37,000 people worldwide need a bone marrow transplant but they must first find a matching donor.
What next ?
This has been a seminal week, in that on Wednesday Margot’s auntie Nadia and I were excited to visit St Anthony’s Roman Catholic Primary School, to watch the first of our assembly pilot presentations being delivered in the London borough of Southwark.
We were there strictly as observers, to ascertain how the teachers receive and deliver the assembly and to watch how the pupils interact and respond.
We didn’t have permission to take any photographs, however we are pleased to report that of the 220 Key Stage 2 pupils (i.e. 7-11 years of age) sitting in the assembly that morning, we estimated that approximately two thirds of them were from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds – an excellent target demographic for our education programme.
Of particular interest to us was how well the teacher delivering the assembly had understood the key facts and messages, adapting the slides and presentation to make the most of her delivery.
I found myself unexpectedly welling up during the introduction, when Margot’s predicament and the origins of Team Margot were briefly explained & the thought provoking question “when did you last help someone ?” triggered a flurry of hands being raised to kick off the discussion.
There followed some lively discussion with the children keen to share their own thoughts and opinions on the topic of helping others and how it makes them feel to help and be helped.
When the assembly was asked: “Put your hand up if a member of your family has given blood…” it was encouraging to see ten or so hands rise (which is about same proportion as the national average).
The point was made that unlike blood, bone marrow is only given once… and again: “you can’t do these things right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something about it” empowering the children and reinforcing their ability to speak to and encourage their families to consider donation.
Before leaving the school, we spoke to the headmaster who felt that the assembly might be better delivered to the younger children in Key Stage 1 within a classroom setting and was open to adopting new modules as we develop them for the education programme, especially if they run in parallel to the curriculum. And he suggested that the school would repeat the ‘Giving to help others’ assembly presentation annually.
Brilliant.
Special thanks to headteacher Ian Croft and Lisa who delivered the assembly and also to the rest of the school for being so welcoming and for being a part of our pilot.
Thank you.
Guest blog: Is your heritage more mixed than you think?
Episode 3 – Our boat is wrapped !
We Row. You Register.
Thank you Old Vicarage School !
THANK YOU DONOR !
NOW is the time to share your views on a new organ donation system.
Don’t forget those who are mixed race, like you.
It’s good to talk.
Weather permitting… we leave TOMORROW!
A dreadful co-incidence or just another awful stat of life ?
Unfortunately, not everyone is like you.
Thank you & Happy New Year !
What would inspire you register as a potential donor ?
You’re unique.
You might be the only one who can save a life.
17 September is World Marrow Donor Day: THANK YOU to Donors EVERYWHERE !
Could you be someone’s Golden Ticket?
Thank you Tower House School !
Does ethnicity priming impact on a person’s propensity to give blood?
The best way you can help yourself, is to help others.
Don’t do it… unless you’re sure you want to.
Merry Christmas & best wishes for 2016 !
Is that the beer talking ..?
Thank you and Congratulations !
Wishing everyone a good first day back at school !
Katrina, Team Margot Donor receives an update on her recipient!
When I first met you, Blue Kangaroo!
Celebrate the good times !
Save yourself money & help to save a life.
How are you coping ?
I love you, Blue Kangaroo!
Thank you, Team Margot !
How do you thank someone who has saved your life ?
KKD5: So who’s in charge?
Would you stake your life on a 50/50 bet ?
KKD3: Needles !
KKD2: Being matched.
The cure for blood cancer is YOU.
Singing Hands – we salute you!
THANK YOU & Merry Christmas !
‘Everyday heroes’ can be just like you and me.
Thank you for all your love and support.
An hour at at time.
Welcome back.
It isn’t negative !
Margot was diagnosed with blood cancer on 7 October 2013, so we have made this date the “TEAM MARGOT STEM CELL AND BONE MARROW REGISTRATION DAY” – an international day designed to inform, inspire and motivate more people to join the worldwide registers as potential stem cell and bone marrow donors, in their countries.
Margot’s mixed ethnicity was the key reason why we were unable to find her “perfect match” – this is an area where your race and ethnicity is vital – which is why, in particular, we seek to encourage people of mixed heritage and those from ethnic minorities to join a register.
We value highly & give great currency to word of mouth – please talk about this & tell someone, follow us online, retweet and share what we post and create and upload your own posts & photos on social media in support.
We don’t mind how you choose to register, only that you do PLEASE REGISTER !
Give it a go & see how it makes you feel.
Thank you.
Ann O’Leary, Head of Register Development at the blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, said: “Saving the lives of people with blood cancer is a truly global effort, as countries all over the world work together to find stem cell matches for people in need of a transplant.
“That’s why we’re so delighted that Team Margot are about to launch their first International Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Awareness Day. Margot’s legacy inspired an incredible number of people to become lifesaving stem cell donors all over the world, and we are looking forward to recruiting the next generation of lifesavers on 7th October at donor recruitment events in Margot’s name.
Theo Clarke, Lead Donor Relations Manager at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We really need young blood donors to sign up to the British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) and potentially become that one in a million match for someone in desperate need of a transplant. Joining the registry is really easy, all you have to do is tell a member of staff at the start of your next blood donation session that you want to join the registry and an extra sample of blood will be taken during your donation.
To find out where your nearest session is and to book an appointment to give blood and join the BBMR, call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk.
“It is vital that we create awareness and educate the public about Leukaemia and other life threatening blood disorders as well as the desperate need for bone marrow stem cell donors. One of the biggest challenges that we face in South Africa, is the shortage of donors from Black, Coloured and Indian ethnic backgrounds. Team Margot Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Awareness Day will assist in the endeavours to educate the public and hopefully encourage donors, from all ethnic groups, to step forward all over the world.
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