Generous donor busts myths about stem cell donation

GENEROUS: Donor David Bowley with sons James, five, (left) and George, seven,(centre)

A POLICE officer who donated his stem cells to help others is urging more potential lifesavers to join the register.

David Bowley, from Consett, twice donated stem cells to save the life of a patient in desperate need of a transplant.

Now the 32-year-old hopes to inspire more people to sign up to the Anthony Nolan register and dispel some of the myths about the procedure.

He said: The donation process was very simple.

Anthony Nolan walked me through every step of the way and while it caused me a small amount of discomfort for a short period of time it gave a cancer sufferer more time to spend with their loved ones and the possibility of one day beating the disease completely.

It is easily the most worthwhile thing I have done and I would recommend that, if you are physically able, you join the register.

Mr Bowley joined the Anthony Nolan register in 2001 after attending a recruitment drive run by a friends father.

He then received a call from Anthony Nolan to tell him that he was a match for a seriously ill patient and he agreed to donate.

He is now supporting Anthony Nolans Myth Busting Month, to explain that most donors find the process easy and comfortable, with 90 per cent of donation taking place through a simple outpatient procedure which does not involve an anaesthetic.

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Generous donor busts myths about stem cell donation