Coventry City has again teamed up with blood cancer charity DKMS in a bid to register fans as potential lifesavers.
On 20 January 2018, a match-day donor registration event will be held at the main entrance at the Ricoh Arena. It will give supporters attending the home game against Swindon the opportunity to register as blood stem cell donors and potentially help save the life of someone with a blood cancer.
Coventry City FC, Head of Marketing and Communications, Mark Hornby, said: “Following the success of our donor event registration last year at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry City FC is delighted to once again stand united with DKMS, as we show blood cancer the red card. In our players and our fans we have many heroes at the club, so we urge eligible people to register with DKMS. It could be one of the most important things you’ll ever do because you could potentially help save a life.”
Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with a blood cancer, such as leukaemia, and over 12,000 people die from blood cancer each year – making it the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK.
DKMS Volunteer, Sukhjit Dulai, said: “My main reason for getting involved with DKMS is because my late sister was fortunate she had a match, it gave her hope. For people who do not have that option it is important that we promote DKMS and get as many people registered. To be in position to potentially save someone’s life by joining the register is amazing.”
Reason for campaign
A blood stem cell donation is often the only chance of survival for many blood cancer patients. Sadly, many patients will not find a matching donor. This isn’t because a match doesn’t exist, it’s simply because there aren’t enough people registered as donors. That is why DKMS works to increase the size and diversity of the blood stem cell registry.
DKMS launched Football Vs Blood Cancer in a bid to raise awareness of blood cancer, blood stem cell donation and register more potential lifesavers throughout the football community.
Donor Registration
Anyone in the UK aged between 17 and 55 and in good general health can register with DKMS. To register, the charity asks potential blood stem cell donors to give consent and take cheek swabs. This is done at one of their donor recruitment events or by requesting a home swab kit online at www.dkms.org.uk.
Should you be a match around 90% of blood stem cell donations in the UK are collected via the blood stream. And around 10% of blood stem cell donations in the UK are donated through a bone marrow collection from the back of the pelvic bone.
It costs DKMS £40 to register a new potential blood stem cell donor. As a charity, DKMS relies on contributions from the public to help cover these costs. Help us fight blood cancer by donating here.
You can find out more about the DKMS Football Vs Blood Cancer campaign and learn how you can support the charity at www.dkms.org.uk/en/get-involved
