Soldier flown back from Iraq in bid to save life of cancer patient

Published on Thursday 10 July 2008 22:38

AS A tank crewman stationed in the volatile surroundings of Basra, the precariousness of mortality could never be far from Marc Munro's mind.

But when a call came through notifying him that only he could save the life of a stranger back in Britain, he embarked on his greatest mission to date.

The soldier with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards has flown home on a mercy mission to save the life of a cancer patient, after it emerged he was a perfect donor match.

The 24-year-old from Arbroath was on his third tour of Iraq when a call came, informing him that his bone marrow was needed by a leukaemia patient. Within hours, his superiors had given L-Cpl Munro permission to leave the tour.

Recalling his dash back to Britain, he said yesterday: "They don't let people go easily when you're on tour in Iraq, but my bosses were incredibly supportive.

"Within four hours, they cleared it, and within a week, flew me back to London."

L-Cpl Munro, who is also a piper and drummer, signed up to the Anthony Nolan Trust bone marrow register three years ago, after the charity held a clinic at the German base of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards to try to bolster its number of donors.

He arrived back in London for the transplant in June, and just two days later, he was back in Germany recovering, feeling "completely fine". Once fully fit, he will be back on duty.

The soldier said the experience had been immensely rewarding, and encouraged other people to add their names to the 390,000 already on the bone marrow register. He explained: "I felt so lucky and privileged. It's really tough being in Iraq. Getting cracking news like that makes a massive difference.

"The most amazing thing is that you know your bone marrow is going straight off to someone who urgently needs it. You know you're potentially saving a life."

The former Arbroath High School pupil, who joined the army in 2000, said he was supported by all his friends and family, although some of his relatives were fearful at first. "My mates thought it was a really good thing. They were all very happy for me.

"My family was really supportive, although my granny was quite worried.

"In fact, she didn't want me to do it at all, but I explained it all to her, and then it turned out that she knew someone who'd been given three months to live a year ago, but had then received a bone barrow transplant and is now absolutely fine. Then she was really supportive.

"They're all really very proud of me," added L-Cpl Munro, who has also served in China, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Canada.

Alex Frazier, of the Anthony Nolan Trust, said L-Cpl Munro should be held up as an example.

He said: "We are delighted that Marc rushed home from Basra to donate his bone marrow to a stranger. It is an incredible gift to save someone's life. The problem the charity faces is there are just not enough individuals like Marc registered.

"For many patients in need of a transplant, the chances of finding a suitable donor can be slim and their time is rapidly running out."

FACT BOX

&#149 THERE is a one-in-four chance a brother or sister shares the same tissue type as a patient in need of a donor, but only three out of every ten will find a match in their family.

&#149 There are around 390,000 people on the bone marrow register of The Anthony Nolan Trust, but worldwide about 16,000 people need a donor.

&#149 Since 1974, the charity has given more than 5,000 patients a chance of life.