Donor drive to pull in World Scots for bone marrow matches

Published on Friday 3 April 2009 09:45

THOUSANDS of people from across the world with Scots heritage will be targeted to save the lives of local leukaemia sufferers.

The upcoming Clan Gathering, which could bring up to 40,000 people to Holyrood Park, presents a unique opportunity to widen the search for bone marrow matches.

The Anthony Nolan Trust – which recruits donors from across the world to save the lives of thousands – wants to encourage overseas visitors, particularly American Scots, to the Homecoming event in late July to sign up to the bone marrow register.

Bone marrow matches always come from the same ethnic backgrounds, meaning even those with distant Scottish ancestry could hold the key to helping many people in Scotland facing a race against time to find a bone marrow donor.

Allan Johnston, regional fundraising manager for the Anthony Nolan Trust in Edinburgh, explained that those blood lines that have developed over hundreds of years can still be strong enough even for a distant Scot to help a native one.

He said: "Bone marrow transplantation is very ethnic-specific, which means that donors must come from the same ethnic background as the patient.

"This event will attract thousands of people with Scottish ancestry and if we can persuade some of them to join the bone marrow register here in the UK then potentially they could have the opportunity of saving the lives of Scots across the world.

"If they're open to finding their roots then they may be happy to join the register and help someone from those roots. The more people on the register, the more people will be helped."

A recent campaign, backed by the Evening News, saw more than 100 would-be donors sign up in the Lothians. The plights of several people awaiting transplants were highlighted.

Even though around 400,000 people worldwide are on the list, because it is so ethnic-specific, more Scots are needed to save local lives.

If matches are found, people go to London where the transplant procedure begins, and the marrow can be sent across the world.

The tug o' war event at the Gathering on July 25 and 26 will be the flagship for the Trust, and given that is likely to be one of the most eye-catching events, charity chiefs are hopeful awareness of its existence will rocket. Volunteers will also be on hand to dispense information and attract donors.

More details on how to enter the competition are available at www.clangathering.org.uk