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Take a brave step backwards
THE national
leukaemia charity, The Anthony Nolan Trust has once again teamed
with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in the hope of finding a
bone marrow donor for Southport children, Ella & Sam Wright.
The charity is looking for brave souls to abseil 100ft down the side
of the training tower at Southport fire station. The abseil will
take place on Saturday 23 June 2007. The charity will also be
running a bone marrow donor clinic at the fire station on the same
day.
Ella (5) and Sam (3) Wright, from Birkdale, both have a rare immuno-deficiency
which means that they susceptible to infections and viruses. While
their conditions are currently being managed by a cocktail of drugs
and antibiotics the only known cure is a bone marrow transplant.
Despite searching the worldwide registers of 11 million potential
donors a suitable match has still not been found.
Sally Wright, the children’s mother said:- “We have been
astounded by the public reaction and would like to thank everyone
who has already helped us in some way. Unfortunately we are still
waiting for their perfect match to be found and we are just hoping
that someone will come forward soon.”
Ruth Carter, Fundraising Manager for the charity said:- “The
response to Ella & Sam’s campaign has been amazing. In the past 18
months thousands of people from Merseyside have responded and signed
up as donors on the Anthony Nolan register. Last year’s abseil at
Southport Community Fire Station raised over £15,000 and people have
been holding concerts, school fayres and giving donations.
Its not too late to make a difference to Ella and Sam and the
thousands of others just like them. A lady who joined our register
at the Southport clinic last May came up as a match straight away
and donated in October, just five months later.”
Darin Speed, District Community Fire Safety Manager for Merseyside
Fire and Rescue Service, said:- “Last year’s event at
Southport Community Fire Station was a great success and we were
overwhelmed that as a result somebody’s life has been saved. We are
delighted to support the Anthony Nolan Trust once again and hope
this year’s event proves just as successful.”
Abseiling is open to all ages and no previous experience is required
as all training is given by a professional team. All abseilers will
need to register before the event and will be asked to raise a
minimum sponsorship of £70 - this is how much it costs the charity
to add a new donor to its register.
To join the Anthony Nolan Register donors must be aged between 18
and 40 and in good health. They must be prepared to donate to any
patient, any where in the world. At the clinic volunteers will be
asked to complete a medical form and provide a small blood sample.
This is then tissue-typed and the details stored on the register,
which is regularly searched for the thousands of people who are
waiting for their match to join.
Right now, the charity is urging more young men to join its bone
marrow register. Only 11% of its register currently consists of
young men aged between 18 and 35. However, 75% of those who go on to
donate and save lives are men.
The Anthony Nolan Trust is an independent charity and relies on
financial support from individuals and companies to fund its work.
It costs the charity £70 to tissue-type each new donor to its
register. |
Easter Day Model Boat Show
THE New
Brighton Model Boat Club held a fun day on Easter Sunday 2007.
These
shots where taken a few days before by members of the club as the
group got the pond ready for the event as the lake had suffered a
lot from mess coursed by Swans in residency, despite the attempts
and notices of RSPCA and RSPB not to feed them.
The event the club
held on Easter Sunday we have been told was a huge success.
"Despite the lovely sunshine, not all our members managed to get out
for the fun day as it was still to cold for some of the more senior
members. But for every member who did come, it was a fantastic
event. We would like to thank Wallasey Fire Brigade for helping us
cleaning the pond last month, as with out teir help, we could not
have put on the show." said Billy Iddon, Billy Iddon of the
New Brighton Model Boat Club.
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