A citywide campaign to sign up as many people as possible to the UK’s stem cell register has kicked off in style.
Leukaemia survivor Rik Basra, whose life was saved by a stem cell donor, has challenged 31 businesses and organisations to help make Leicester a lifesaving city in September – including De Montfort University Leicester (DMU).
The Rik Basra Leukaemia Campaign’s Pass It On drive will see recruitment drives held every day at each of the organisations taking part.
Anyone aged 16-30 who is in good health can join and potentially save someone’s life. George of ASDA has designed a flag which will passed from host to host after each event.
Pass It On started on Tuesday with Rik, a police inspector, zip-wiring down the side of Mansfield House police station to launch the drive with Leicestershire’s Chief Constable, Simon Cole and the Anthony Nolan Trust, which runs the stem cell register.
A sports relay team of police officers then visited each of the locations – including DMU where the final day’s recruitment drive will be held.
Rik said: “Amazingly, the local community have made Leicester and Leicestershire second only to London for stem cell donor recruitment in the whole of the UK.
“We want to build on that solid foundation. We aim to show just how easy it is to save a life and really mobilise everyone to get involved and help do something about it and really make Leicester a lifesaving city in every sense of the word.
“DMU Square Mile are without doubt a safe pair of hands to lay on a spectacular finale to what I'm sure is going to be an amazing month of activities."
DMU’s Square Mile, which works to share the skills of students and staff to benefit the community, has supported Rik’s previous campaigns.
Last year Rik and DMU Square Mile helped set a new UK record after 1,000 people were recruited to the Anthony Nolan register in just one day. In 2013, they set a new record for the number of students to join the register.
David Hollis, operations manager at DMU Square Mile, said: “This new event will be truly unique and will showcase Leicester for what it is – a lifesaving city, and we are proud to be able to lend our support.”
So far the flag has visited Leicestershire Police, BBC Radio Leicester and the Leicester Mercury. Here is where you can go along and show your support:
Friday 4 – George of ASDA, Lutterworth
Saturday 5 – Leicester Hockey Club, at Leicester Grammar School
Sunday 6 – Sabras Radio, Melton Road
Monday 7– East Midlands Trains at Leicester Railway Station
Tuesday 8– Curve theatre
Wednesday 9– NHS Blood and Transplant
Thursday 10 – Leicester City Council
Friday 11 – the Leicester Federation of Muslim Organisations
Saturday 12 – Leicester Cathedral
Sunday 13 – East Midlands Ambulance Service (at Highcross)
Monday 14 – Leicestershire County Cricket
Tuesday 15 – Highcross Shopping Centre
Wednesday 16 – Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service at Leicester College and Wigston/Leicester Progressive Synagogue, Avenue Road
Thursday 17 – Next, Enderby
Friday 18 – St Paul’s Catholic School
Saturday 19 – Leicester Tigers
Sunday 20 – GTB Gurdwara, East Park Road
Monday 21 – Fosse Business Breakfast Club, City Rooms
Tuesday 22 – Girlguiding Leicestershire, Princess Road East
Thursday 24 – University of Leicester
Friday 25 – Beauchamp College
Saturday 26 – LCFC Football Club/Leicester Riders at Loughborough University
Sunday 27 – Leicester Royal Infirmary
Monday 28 – Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth II College
Tuesday 29 – Regent College, Leicester
Wednesday 30 – De Montfort University
Posted on Thursday 3 September 2015