Wales Rugby League announce charity
partnership

Rugby heroes campaign to save young boy Welsh Rugby League launches lifesaving appeal

The Welsh Rugby League will launch their new charity partnership with The Anthony Nolan Trust on Sunday before Wales? opening European Nations Cup match against Scotland at the Brewery Field, Bridgend which kicks off at 3pm.

The Anthony Nolan Trust hopes that the partnership with the Welsh Rugby League will raise awareness surrounding the need for more young male bone marrow donors to register. The Anthony Nolan saves lives by managing and recruiting new donors to the UK?s most successful bone marrow register. With the help of the Welsh Rugby League, a special session before the European Nations Cup opener will take place at the ground between 12pm and 3pm to recruit more young male donors.

A one-year-old boy, Memphis Powell, who suffers from leukaemia has inspired a huge life saving campaign. He has a life-threatening condition and the only cure is a bone marrow transplant. So far the worldwide search to find a suitable unrelated donor for Memphis has proved unsuccessful. Because of the vast numbers of tissue types, trying to find a suitable bone marrow donor match can be extremely difficult.

Memphis? parents, Laura Richards and Aaron Powell were told by doctors seven months ago that Memphis had juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia - a rare form of the illness that only affects one per cent of those with the cancer. But Memphis? doctors have said that a bone marrow donor needs to be found within the next six months otherwise he will die.

The Anthony Nolan Trust?s Press Officer, Alex Frazier explains: ?Each year, thousands of patients need a bone marrow transplant. Only one third of patients find a compatible donor amongst their family. We are asking all young men to find out more about how to save a life. Memphis could have a bright future ahead of him and so could the other 7,000 patients currently waiting to find a suitable bone marrow donor. Please do what you can to help Memphis and the thousands of other patients who are urgently seeking a suitable bone marrow donor. Contact The Anthony Nolan Trust now on 0901 88 22234 or look at www.anthonynolan.org.uk to find out exactly what?s involved and how to register. We are delighted that The Welsh Rugby League are so committed to our life saving work?.

NOTES TO EDITORS 1.The Anthony Nolan Trust takes back lives from leukaemia by providing life saving bone marrow donors to hundreds of children and adults waiting for transplants.

2. Currently 7,000 patients in the UK and throughout the world are looking to find a suitable bone marrow donor. There are not enough bone marrow donors registered. The Anthony Nolan Trust urgently needs to do more to increase the chances of life for these patients. Please include our hotline number and age criteria in your media item. More individuals aged 18- 40 are needed to join The Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow register please call 0901 88 222 34 to find out how to save a life. 3. The Anthony Nolan Trust is an independent charity. It continually relies on financial support from individuals and companies. In all, The Anthony Nolan needs over ?14.5 million a year to continue its lifesaving work. That?s why we?re asking for more support from public donations.

4. More individuals aged 18- 40 are needed to join The Anthony Nolan Trust's bone marrow register. The Anthony Nolan Trust specifically needs to recruit more young male donors and those of UK minority ethnic backgrounds.