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Ciaran's Story

Volunteer Stories
Ciaran at the Great North Run.

Ciaran Mackenzie

Naval Architecture, 4th year

Volunteering for: Glasgow Marrow

I have been volunteering with Glasgow marrow since 2017 then I have been the President of Strathclyde branch of Marrow since 2018.

 I had signed up to the Anthony Nolan stem cell register back in school and I started volunteering after being called up to donate my stem cells to a stranger.  This person had blood cancer and needed a bone marrow transplant and I was found to be a match for them. After I donated I found out about Marrow, which is the student-led branch of Anthony Nolan and it was a no-brainer decision to start volunteering with Marrow.

After my donation I felt the need to spread the word and to get others signed onto the register, this is what Marrow do. Over 2,000 people a year in the UK require a stem cell transplant, with 75% of them unable to find a matching donor in their families! This truly highlights the importance of the work that Marrow does and I love knowing that by volunteering I can truly make a difference, whether that be by fundraising or signing people up onto the register at recruitment events. Marrow really does help saves lives and every day Anthony Nolan provides a second chance of life to 3 people!