The Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre has welcomed the first people to donate their stem cells for lifesaving transplants and medical research. Creating 1,300 new donation slots a year, the centre will help more people across the UK donate their cells to patients in need, giving them more time with their loved ones.
A stem cell transplant is a treatment which helps thousands of people each year with blood cancer or blood disorders. It involves replacing a patient’s stem cells with those from a healthy donor. A global shortage of facilities means the UK’s first dedicated cell collection centre is essential for getting donations to patients when they need them, preventing delays to this lifesaving treatment.
Run in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Nottingham Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the centre is located at Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.
Brendon Craister, 26, Telford, was one of the first people to donate their cells at the centre. He said: “I signed up to the register on Christmas eve, while I was doing some last-minute shopping. I bumped into a friend who was recruiting people to the register to help a young boy called Marshall in need of a transplant. We signed up straight away and gave our swab samples.
“I didn’t end up matching with Marshall, but a few months later I was contacted by Anthony Nolan who told me I was a match for someone else. I was surprised but it was a no-brainer for me to say yes. I wouldn’t feel right saying no to the opportunity to help someone. If you’ve got a chance to help another person I don’t see why you wouldn’t do everything you could.
“It was even more of a clear-cut decision for me because one of my colleagues has leukaemia, and is currently waiting for a transplant. When she heard what I was doing she was really grateful, as she knows what it’s like to be waiting and hoping for a transplant.
“I feel honoured to be one of the first donors at Anthony Nolan's new centre. A stem cell transplant could be lifesaving for someone, and donating your cells is such an easy way to help.”
A longstanding global shortage of cell collection facilities means some patients do not receive a transplant at the best possible time for them. Growing demand for cell-based therapies, like CAR-T treatments, has put the specialist donation facilities at some NHS and private hospitals under more pressure than ever.
In 2022-23 Anthony Nolan’s data suggests only a fifth of donors on the UK aligned registry were able to donate on the date requested by the patient’s medical team due to capacity issues. Not having a transplant at the right time can be distressing for a patient and their loved ones as their condition could deteriorate while they are waiting. It can have an irreversible and sometimes life-threatening impact on a patient’s physical health.
Evie Hodgson, 13 from Whitby, was eight years old when she was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia, a rare and serious blood disorder. She was told a stem cell transplant was her best chance at a cure. Evie’s mum, Tina, said: “After her diagnosis, I said, ‘oh I’m glad it’s not cancer’ and the consultant looked at me and said, ‘It’s just as serious as cancer.’ I couldn’t believe that my vibrant, beautiful and kind-hearted daughter was so ill.”
A perfect match was found for Evie, but shortly before her transplant date, the family was told the donor was unable to go ahead with the donation.
Tina said: “Finding out that Evie’s only perfect-match donor had dropped out was absolutely devastating. It terrified me not knowing when - or if - she would find another match.
“We appealed for as many people to join the register as possible, and luckily Evie found another match a few months later. She had her transplant and soon was back playing with her toys and her little brother - you could see the difference in Evie's spirits straight away.
“It's great news the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre will create so many new donation slots. We understand first-hand how difficult it is when a transplant gets delayed or cancelled, so anything that can be done to make sure more transplants happen on time could be game-changing to patients and families like mine.”
By managing its own dedicated cell collection centre, Anthony Nolan is able to collect high-quality cells from donors at a time that meets the needs of the patient, while ensuring donors have the best possible experience. The centre also supports and expands the charity’s work in providing donations for medical research, helping to develop new therapies that have the potential to save countless lives in the future.
The Anthony Nolan stem cell register was the first in the world, established in 1974. The charity has decades of expertise in providing cells to patients in the UK and internationally and is the first point of contact for any hospital in the UK who is looking for an unrelated donor transplant for a patient.
The Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre adds to the charity's existing presence in Nottingham, with its Cell Therapy Centre located on Nottingham Trent University’s Clifton campus. This site houses the charity’s umbilical cord blood bank and a research facility that looks at new ways to use cord blood in medical treatments.
Nicola Alderson, chief operating officer at Anthony Nolan, said: “A stem cell transplant is a potentially lifesaving treatment which is often a patient’s last chance of a cure or long-term survival. It can be incredibly stressful for patients and their loved ones who are waiting for a transplant, and any delays can risk their condition worsening.
“The Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre will help relieve the pressing capacity issues experienced in the NHS, and ensure patients receive their treatment when its needed. It will also allow us to give donors the best experience and will help drive forwards research and the development of new treatments with the potential to save more lives in the future.
“Our gratitude goes out to all our amazing donors who join the register to help give someone a second chance at life. We’re so pleased to be able to offer them a new, dedicated centre for their donation in the heart of the UK.”
Donors from across the UK may now be invited to donate their lifesaving cells at the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre in Nottingham. The cell collection process is performed by using a cell separation machine that filters stem cells from the blood. Cells collected for transplant are then couriered to the patient, who may be anywhere in the world waiting for their transplant.
Cells collected from donors who have agreed to donate for research are delivered to scientists working on new and innovative treatments, maximising the impact Anthony Nolan donors can provide for patients.
The Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre is generously supported by the Omaze Community who raised £3.7 million through the Million Pound House Draw which launched in June 2025.
Professor Stephen Ryder, Clinical Director of Research & Innovation at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We’re delighted that the Anthony Nolan team has started working with our clinical team in Research & Innovation to launch its first stem cell collection centre, at our NIHR Nottingham CRF, which is already changing lives.
“Not only will this new facility ensure patients can receive life-saving cells when they most need them, the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre fits with our strategy to drive forward our programme of experimental research in Nottingham which aims to both transform - and potentially save - many lives in years to come.”
To find out more about the Anthony Nolan Cell Collection Centre, to donate to Anthony Nolan or to find out how to join the stem cell register, visit: www.anthonynolan.org
