Donor recruitment clinics

When your only chance of survival depends on finding a compatible donor, it really is a race against time. The Leukaemia Society (U.K.) works very hard in organising mobile bone marrow donor recruitment clinics to enlist potential bone marrow donors. These donors are added to a register of names held by the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. Any one of the donors recruited may be a match for a patient one day.

Home and hospital visiting

Some patients are treated in hospitals a long distance from their home, some come from abroad. In these cases visits from family members and friends prove very difficult. Visits are arranged via our Visiting Officer and local volunteers.

Parents or partners of patients are encouraged to stay with their child / partner during treatment. Problems they encounter can include accommodation. Our Visiting Officer is available to offer practical help and advice. Patients from abroad face the added problem of not understanding the English language.

This can cause loneliness and boredom, making lengthy treatment seem even longer. The continuous efforts of our Visiting Officer convinced the University College Hospital in London to install Satellite Television. Patients can now watch TV in a number of languages. Some translation services.

This is a limited service depending on volunteer availability.

Support Groups - Most people find sharing their feelings can help. Being put in contact with individuals that have been through and understand how they are feeling allows them to do this.

Telephone helpline

A voice on the other end of the telephone can be both helpline and provide a listening ear. The support we provide is not only for the patient but is also extended to those close to them. Their partner or other family members or close friends may not be sure how best to support the patient at this time. They will have their own anxieties, which they may not want to share with the patient. Being able to contact someone who is not directly involved in their life can be a way of working out what they want to know and how they might find the answers.

Advice line - People seek advice on various issues. One area where advice is always needed is claiming benefits. We help to ensure that all individuals know of the benefits they are entitled to and how to claim them.