PAUL Goggins, MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, is calling for a specialist cord blood collection centre to be established in the area and for more people to join the stem cell donor register.
Mr Goggins has highlighted the case of 20-year-old Martin Solomon, from Sale, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in 2007 and desperately needs a stem cell transplant.
Martin’s best chance of finding a match is probably through the donation of umbilical cord blood, which although often thrown away after the birth of a baby, is a source of stem cells which can become a life saver.
Only 40 per cent of black and minority ethnic (BAME) patients compared to 90 per cent of white patients, and as Martin is of mixed heritage, his case illustrates the need for more BAME donors to come forward.
Anyone wishing to join the stem cell donor register can do so in two ways: • By picking up a stem cell donor registration form when giving blood; • Through the Anthony Nolan Trust website anthonynolan.org/.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here