Anthony Nolan

"It was really insightful to hear about other Ambulatory Services. I feel incredibly passionate about improving patient experience through Ambulatory Care services and it was inspiring to hear and learn more about what other trusts are implementing." Over the past 5 weeks we have been running a free webinar series for healthcare professionals all about the impact ambulatory care can have on patients’ health and wellbeing. Ambulatory care allows patients to receive some of their treatment, which has traditionally been delivered as an inpatient, in an outpatient setting, allowing them to spend more time in the comfort of their own home. We saw over 100 healthcare professionals sign up, and they heard from Transplant Centres from across the UK, who currently deliver Ambulatory Care to patients receiving stem cell transplants and CAR-T therapy. This is just one of the many ways we are improving patient experience, before, during and after stem cell transplants and CAR-T therapies. 💚

Did you know, there are around 500 students who raise awareness of our lifesaving work whilst at university? Our marrow groups, which are based at universities across the UK, from Belfast to Bristol, Southampton to Sunderland, signed up almost 2000 people to the stem cell register this month alone! We couldn't continue our lifesaving work without our amazing marrowers, who volunteer their time, alongside studying at university to raise awareness of the stem cell register amongst fellow students.

27th April 2025… 👟 Join the loudest cheer squads in London as we help the 196 members of #TeamAN navigate the TCS London Marathon! Who's running to help save lives? 🙋 Want to be part of the squad? 📣 Sign up as a volunteer today: https://bit.ly/4hKLNlY

We’ll soon be heading to Florence, Italy for one of the world’s most prestigious stem cell transplant conferences. The EBMT 2025 will see experts from around the globe meeting to discuss the latest advances in stem cell transplants. Over 20 Anthony Nolan colleagues will be attending to share our latest research and learn from other scientists and healthcare providers. Among our colleagues and partners presenting their work will be: 🧬 Sunday 30th March at 2.30pm: Dr Sharon Vivers, presenting on the technical aspects of tissue typing. 👩⚕️ Monday 31st March at 6pm: Emily John, presenting a poster on the monitoring of patient response to CAR-T therapy. 📜 Tuesday 1st April at 4.30pm: Hirasine Sengomona, presenting on certification for courier processes. 🔬 Wednesday 2nd April at 8.30am: Salmah Ahmed, presenting on how registries can contribute to new cell and gene therapies. 🩸 Dr Tania Dexter is also displaying a poster on research to improve stem cell collection from peripheral blood. Heading to Florence? Come and chat to us at stand 41A if you’re attending! And don't forget to follow us for updates on the conference and a roundup of our reflections once we’re all home.

Earlier this week we were proud to host a reception at the House of Commons, to celebrate progress in stem cell donation over the last 50 years.  Around 150 patients, donors, supporters, volunteers and policymakers joined us as we recognised the progress Anthony Nolan and our community has made to grow and diversify the stem cell donor registry, saving thousands of lives.  As well as recognising what we have achieved, we also acknowledged how much more there is to do. Today we continue the pioneering spirit in which we were founded, and our ambition for the future is clear:  ·        We want to ensure that everyone who needs lifesaving transplant or cell therapy can access it.  ·        We want more people to survive, and thrive, after their treatment. ·        We want to enable the next generation of cell therapies that will be more effective and have fewer side effects. A particular thanks goes to MP Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Stem Cell Transplantation and Advanced Cellular Therapies, and a stem cell transplant recipient himself, who hosted this evening. We were also very grateful to have Baroness Gillian Merron, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care, speaking at the event and noting the Government’s commitment to supporting greater equity and powering research in cell therapy.

Did you know, you can now donate your stem cells for medical research and treatments? Meet Angus, who did exactly that. “I joined the register because of my dad. He had CCL (chronic lymphocytic leukaemia) and Anthony Nolan found him a donor, so it kind of seemed the right thing to do. I wanted to give back to Anthony Nolan and help people who are in the same position as my dad.” “I’ve been contacted about being a match twice, but I haven’t got as far as donating. Then I got an email about donating for medical research and I was like, ‘yes, 100%’. To be honest, there's not really much that I’d say no to if Anthony Nolan asked because I just want to give back.” Angus has been a potential donor twice, but in both cases he didn’t go onto actually donate. This can happen for many reasons – including the patient not being well enough to proceed to transplant, another donor being a better match, or the patient’s medical team opting for an alternative treatment. “It was a relief to finally donate. I’ve always wanted to do it, so it was like a dream, ‘I've actually done this now’. My dad is very proud.” Angus’ stem cells are now being used in a project that aims to speed up the development of cell and gene therapies in a more cost-effective way, using a new processing technology. If successful, it could mean many more patients will have access to these treatments in the future. If you’re on the stem cell register, you too could donate for medical research and treatments – as well as being ready to donate if you’re found to be a match for a patient in need of a stem cell transplant. Express your interest in donating for medical research and treatments today: https://lnkd.in/ebGkDFWz

"I am absolutely delighted the NICE appraisal was successful and ruxolitinib will be available for patients with acute GvHD when steroid treatment is unsuccessful! This is wonderful news - thank you so much to those who are continuing to advocate for all patients.” - Elsa, who’s husband Steve experienced severe GvHD. Good news alert - ruxolitinib has finally been approved by NICE to help patients experiencing acute GvHD! We’ve been campaigning to ensure this treatment is available for patients on the NHS for 5 years now, so are pleased it has finally been approved. Acute GvHD, or graft vs host disease, is a common side effect of stem cell transplants, and can have a severe impact on quality of life. Elsa’s husband Steve experienced GvHD in numerous areas across his body and said recovery after his stem cell transplants has been much tougher than the transplant itself as a result. However, ruxolitinib being made available means patients will now have more treatment options to aid their recovery - allowing them to get back to doing the things they love. We’re continuing our work to ensure this treatment is also made available in Scotland - so anyone in the UK can access the best treatment options, regardless of where they live. Read our statement: https://bit.ly/4irempa

🔁 PLEASE SHARE 🔁 “I’ve been away from my children quite a bit. They just want me home — that’s all they want.” John, a dad of three from Gloucester, has received a life-threatening diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia, after a trip to A&E following a raised pulse, severe diarrhoea and brain fog. His blood tests came back at concerning levels – his white blood cells should have been around 220, but they were just 20. Since his diagnosis in January, John has endured gruelling treatment including two rounds of chemotherapy, and multiple blood transfusions. Now, John needs a stem cell transplant, but for that to happen, he needs to find a matching donor. John is hoping one of his brothers can donate their cells, meaning he could potentially have a haplo transplant. But the reality for most patients is that there is no match in their family - without more people signing up to the stem cell register, others in his situation may not be so lucky. Through it all, John is trying to remain positive: ‘What I’ve learned from all of this is that you have to enjoy every second of every day. I appreciate the work the doctors are doing and just try to enjoy the time I have with my kids, my wife, and my friends.’ To people aged 16-30, John’s message is simple: ‘Sign up to the Anthony Nolan register. You might be the match that gives someone else their life back.’ If you’re able to, please sign up today, and share this post with family and friends in support of John.

“I didn't know what to expect, but I was looking forward to learning something deeper about Islam and about Ramadan. I thought a lot about sacrifice throughout and just how much I take for granted. I also thought a lot about the importance of community during a time like Ramadan in the shared experience of fasting and the focus on good actions. Ramadan Mubarak to all our Muslim colleagues, I'm very grateful for the opportunity!” This month, colleagues at Anthony Nolan have had the opportunity to learn all about the meaning of Ramadan, its traditions, and ways to support colleagues who are fasting. We then launched our very first Anthony Nolan fast challenge hosted by our Muslim colleagues, which invited people to experience fast during Ramadan by abstaining from food and drink from pre-dawn to sunset for one day. This was followed by an Iftar meal at our offices in London and Nottingham. "It’s been incredibly heart-warming to see how many employees have supported us through learning about Ramadan/Islam, the fasting challenge and sharing an evening breaking our fast together. This level of understanding and solidarity has made this Ramadan particularly special for me, and I’m grateful for the inclusive culture here at Anthony Nolan that allows me to observe my faith while feeling supported.”

Last week, we heard the fantastic news that Dolcie-Mae received a stem cell transplant! 💚 Her medical team decided a mismatched stem cell transplant would be her best treatment option, because there were no matches worldwide on the stem cell register. Her mum Courtney talks about what this next step means, and how grateful she is to Dolcie-Mae’s donor: “It was the day we as a family have been waiting for since 25th November 2024 – the day we were told her only hope for survival was a stem cell transplant. For those of you that don't know a stem cell transplant is as simple as a bag of blood cells, 65ML of life changing cells from Germany.” “Although there were risks and complications that came with the mismatch, the risk of not taking the chance was a lot more. I pray we will have a happier and healthier future, onto recovery princess!” “My heart goes out to her donor for giving my baby a second chance at life – I can’t thank you enough. I also want to thank all the amazing nurses, doctors and the bubble foundation that got us to where we are today.” “Although transplant has now taken place this isn’t quite the end of our journey, this is definitely a new milestone to show us how far you’ve come but we’re just on another long journey ahead🙏🏼” We’ll be right by Dolcie-Mae and her family’s side over the next few weeks and months as she takes these next steps in her journey. As her mum Courtney says, this isn’t quite the end of their journey yet – but it’s a really positive step forward.