STEM cell charity Anthony Nolan has launched a nationwide campaign to mark the 30th anniversary of its world-leading research institute, and highlight the urgent need for continued research to improve survival and outcomes for patients undergoing donor stem cell transplants.
While three decades of pioneering work have helped transform the outlook for transplant patients nationwide, the charity stresses that more research is still urgently needed to improve the odds.
Half a Chance
Titled ‘Half a Chance’, the stark campaign is designed to draw attention to this sobering reality, bringing it to life in a simple, striking photo series.
It features Al Murray – who lost his eight-year-old nephew Finley after two stem cell transplants, following a diagnosis of juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia – sitting alongside three people who have received transplants. Next to them, three empty bar stools sit conspicuously vacant; a striking representation of the stark reality for so many.
By placing real stem cell recipients at the centre of the story, and visibly acknowledging those who are missing, Anthony Nolan aims to inspire action and underline the importance of giving every patient a better chance of survival.
Three decades of pioneering research
Since it was established in 1996, the Anthony Nolan Research Institute (ANRI) has been dedicated to improving the lives of patients who need a stem cell transplant – in which their stem cells are replaced with those from a healthy donor – helping them not only survive but thrive.
As a hub for some of the world’s leading stem cell transplant scientists, the institute has led the way in improving understanding of donor matching, transplant complications and patient outcomes, making life-saving transplants safer and possible for patients who once only had palliative care options.
Shirley Nolan founded the Anthony Nolan register in 1974, when her son Anthony was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder and needed a stem cell donor. Tragically, no match could be found for him. Today, thanks to research and growth of the register, Anthony Nolan researchers estimate a patient with the same tissue type as Anthony would have a 93% chance of finding a suitable match.
Dr Robert Danby, chief medical and scientific officer at Anthony Nolan, said:
“Ever since Shirley Nolan established the world’s first stem cell register in 1974, innovation has been at our core. While we’ve transformed thousands of lives over the last 30 years, only around 50% of blood cancer patients currently survive five years post-transplant, with many facing severe side effects. Continued research is the only way to change these odds and give every patient the future they deserve.”
Comedian and campaign supporter Al Murray said:
“Having lost my nephew Finley to blood cancer, I know firsthand the devastating reality families face. Anthony Nolan’s Research Institute has made incredible strides over the past 30 years, but patients need more than half a chance. We need to continue funding vital and groundbreaking research so that every patient gets the second chance at life they deserve.”
30 years of research: Key milestones
- 1974: Shirley Nolan created the world’s first bone marrow register after her young son Anthony could not find a match in time
- 1996: The opening of the Anthony Nolan Research Institute (ANRI), established to investigate why some bone marrow and stem cell transplants fail even when donor and patient appear well-matched
- 2003: Anthony Nolan researchers demonstrated the importance of matching patients and donors for a new gene, HLA-DPB1, to improve outcomes. HLA-DPB1 is now used widely in the 50,000 donor stem cell transplants that happen each year across the globe, helping to manage the likelihood of negative side effects including disease relapse
- 2017: Anthony Nolan carried out the UK’s largest study into factors that can make a stem cell transplant more successful, finding young donors improve the chance of survival. The research reinforced their decision to become the first register to lower recruitment to 16, and someone aged 16 or 17 has given someone a second chance at life every month since
- 2024: Anthony Nolan research revealed the impact of ethnicity on stem cell transplant survival in the UK, finding Black and Asian cancer patients were 1.5 times more likely to die within five years of a donor transplant compared to White patients. The research is informing their work to reduce inequities through further research and register recruitment
Through this milestone anniversary and with support from campaign supporter Al Murray, Anthony Nolan aims to raise awareness of the challenges that remain following stem cell transplantation, generate vital funding, and encourage donor registration – to give every patient more than half a chance.
