Pupils sign up as potential life savers

The youngsters were spurred into action after receiving a visit from local Scottish Fire and Rescue officers as part of the schools health week.

Firefighters have been working with the charity - which works to find life-saving matches for patients suffering from blood cancers such as leukaemia - since 2009.

Group Manager Paul Devlin, a North Lanarkshire based SFRS officer who is involved in the partnership, explained: “This is the second event we have organised in partnership with Dalziel High School.

“We have been overwhelmed by the positive approach of the pupils and staff at Dalziel.

“Our first visit in 2014 resulted in 71 new donors on the Anthony Nolan register, with the incredible 111 new registrations on March 17, that brings Dalziel’s total to 182 potential life savers.

“This is a testimony to the genuine citizenship focused ethos within the school.

“Over the past four and a half years of our involvement with the charity we know 17 people who joined the register through our events have actually been a match and donated their stem cells.

“The staff and pupils from Dalziel who signed up are now in a position where they could save a life.”

Alistair Stewart, of the school’s PE department, added: “As a school we are delighted to be involved in the Anthony Nolan Trust and we’re incredibly grateful to the pupils and staff who signed-up and offered to save the life of someone with a blood disorder.”

To find out how you can join the register, or for info on what is involved in donating, visit  www.anthonynolan.org/What-you-can-do.aspx.