10,000 people sign up to become a stem cell donor

ALMOST 10,000 people in the North have registered to become a stem cell donor since the launch of the Save Our Sunflower campaign.
The group, which was set up by family and friends of Mount Eagles mum-of-three Sharon McCloskey is working closely with blood cancer charities the Anthony Nolan Trust and DKMS to find a suitable cell stem match for Sharon. Swab registeration events have already taken place in the Kennedy Centre, Newry, Warrenpoint, Cookstown and Derry with more planned towards the end of August.
Sharon's brother John Whyte from the campaign group said: "Only two per cent of people from the UK are on the stem cell register so it's so important for us to encourage more people to sign-up to the register to help save a life.
"This campaign is not only for Sharon, it's for everyone suffering from blood cancer in Northern Ireland and across the world that need to find that one very special stranger who will be their lifeline."
Anyone interested in finding out more or registering face-to-face can also attend one of the up-and-coming stem cell swab registration events being organised by the Save Our Sunflower campaign across the North;

• July 23, 10am – 12noon. Downpatrick Council Buildings
• July 23, 1pm – 3pm. Downpatrick Leisure Centre
• July 23, 10am. Newry Council Buildings.
• July 23, 8 - 10pm. Mount Eagles Community Centre, Belfast.
• July 29, 5- 9pm. Tobin Youth Centre Moortown, Cookstown.
• July 30, 10am - 5pm. Sean Holywood Art Centre, Newry.
• August 10, 9am - 6pm. St. Peter's GAC, Lurgan (for age 16 - 30 only).
• August 17, 11am. Victoria Square, Belfast.
• August 24, time TBC. Park Centre, Belfast.
• August 24, 9am – 5pm. Richmond Centre Derry
• August 29, time TBC. Tullymore Community Centre