TfL celebrates lifesaving stem cell journeys across London’s transport network

• A new film by TfL and Anthony Nolan highlights the role that public transport plays in supporting volunteer couriers to transport donated cells to patients in need of a transplant throughout the UK and beyond
• Anthony Nolan estimates that almost 70 per cent of all trips made by volunteer couriers in 2023 were in London*
• Anthony Nolan is marking 50 years since Shirley Nolan set up the world's first stem cell register to find a match for her son Anthony who had a rare blood disorder
• The charity is on a mission to grow the stem cell register from just over 900,000 people to one million, to give more patients a better chance of surviving blood cancer and blood disorders

Transport for London (TfL) and stem cell transplant charity Anthony Nolan have joined forces during Blood Cancer Awareness Month with the launch of a new film depicting lifesaving journeys taking place throughout London's transport network.

The new film which has been produced by TfL and Anthony Nolan, features unsung heroes like volunteer courier Irene Robertson who regularly transports donated cells to patients in need of a transplant throughout the UK and beyond.

Stem cell transplants can be the best chance of survival for many patients with blood cancers or blood disorders. Donated cells are given to a patient via their blood stream so that they grow their own new healthy blood cells and platelets. Stem cells are also used by scientists for medical research and to develop new therapies to help more patients.

The film features TfL staff member, Sonja Jutte, who joined the stem cell register in 2005 after a family friend needed a stem cell transplant. She recently donated her stem cells to a patient overseas.

Once stem cells have been donated, volunteer couriers have just 72 hours to transport the stem cells. Irene has been a courier since July 2018 and has taken lifesaving cargo all over the world.

Irene Robertson, Anthony Nolan volunteer courier, said:

'Every time I undertake a trip whether it's to the United States or Surrey, I never cease to be amazed at this lifesaving service.

'Nearly every trip involves using the TfL network to get from A to B in the shortest possible time and to know that someone is waiting for stem cells that will be lifechanging for both them and their family is a very humbling experience.'

Sonja Jutte, Data Scientist for Transport for London, said:

'Whilst donating stem cells is a pretty straight forward outpatient procedure, it's very exciting and a real privilege to give someone a second chance at life.

'With an extremely short window of opportunity, TfL has a crucial role to play in saving lives by providing a reliable and comprehensive transport network.'

TfL also teamed up with Anthony Nolan in August to support them through the sale of Notting Hill Carnival 2024 themed pin badges to staff. TfL is donating all proceeds from the pin badge sales to Anthony Nolan.

During Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Anthony Nolan is marking 50 years since Shirley Nolan set up the world's first stem cell register to find a match for her son Anthony who had a rare blood disorder. Sadly, a match was not found for Anthony, but over the last 50 years Anthony Nolan has facilitated more than 26,500 transplants for people around the world.

Around 97 per cent of adults who receive a stem cell transplant from a donor have been diagnosed with blood cancer. Anthony Nolan also facilitates transplants and supports patients and families who are affected by blood disorders like aplastic anaemia, sickle cell, and thalassemia.

Anthony Nolan is on a mission to grow the stem cell register from just over 900,000 people to one million, to give more patients a better chance of surviving blood cancer and blood disorders.

The charity is calling on people aged 16-30 to sign up to the register, as research shows younger donors lead to more successful transplants. There is a pressing need to recruit more people from diverse backgrounds to the register, to help more patients from minority ethnic backgrounds find the lifesaving matches they need.

For more information about Anthony Nolan, to sign up to the stem cell register, or donate, visit www.anthonynolan.org

Notes to editors:
*956 trips volunteer couriers made in 2023, 660 of them involved travel across London

About Anthony Nolan

• The Anthony Nolan and Transport for London film is available here - Anthony Nolan and Transport for London (youtube.com)
• Founded by Shirley Nolan in 1974, Anthony Nolan celebrates its 50th anniversary this year
• The charity facilitates around 1,100 stem cell transplants from an unrelated donor every year for patients in the UK and more than 300 for patients abroad. For many, a transplant is their last chance of survival
• Since its inception Anthony Nolan has facilitated over 26,500 transplants for people around the world
• Around 90 per cent of donors donate through PBSC (peripheral blood stem cell collection). This is a simple, outpatient procedure. Donors are supported throughout the process by the Anthony Nolan team
• Currently 16 per cent of the UK Anthony Nolan stem cell register is made up of young men, but they account for more than half of people called upon to donate
• There is a pressing need to recruit more people from diverse backgrounds to the Anthony Nolan register, to help more patients from minority ethnic backgrounds find the lifesaving matches they need
• Blood cancer is the fifth most common type of cancer in the UK and the third biggest cancer killer. It accounts for 9 per cent of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in the UK
• To join the Anthony Nolan register, you must be 16-30 and healthy. Anthony Nolan's world-leading Research Institute has shown younger donors offer better survival rates for patients