Anthony Nolan Patients and Families Page

20/03/2026

After many years, we want to let you know that the Patients and Families page will closing on the 15th April 2026.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has followed us and supported our work. Being able to connect with you has meant a great deal to us, thank you.

This isn’t the end though; to help us communicate more effectively and reach more people, we’re focusing our social media activity on our main channels.

You can continue to follow and connect with us here:
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnthonyNolan/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonynolancharity/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/
• LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/anthonynolan

We’d love for you to stay with us as we continue our work supporting patients and families.

Finally, from Patient Services, thank you again so much for being part of this community.

Remember, we’re always here if you need some advice, information or just someone to talk to. You can email us at [email protected] or call 0303 303 0303 and choose option 3– we’re here to help.”

04/02/2026

“To talk with my wife about my wishes was a relief, because it is a hard conversation to start when we both wanted to focus on optimism.”

“The Anthony Nolan resources not only encouraged me to update my advanced care plan, but also helped me with practical details such as passwords and information about things that are in my name.” – Richard, who received a stem cell transplant and is now on a clinical trial

Lots of us worry about the ‘what ifs’, even in our normal day-to-day lives. When going through treatment, it can be helpful to create an advance care plan. This lets the people around you know exactly what’s important to you, and how you’d like to be cared for in the future – particularly towards the end of your life.

Advance care planning is about sharing hope that your treatment will work, but also allowing time and space to talk about the ‘what ifs’. Talking about them early on can hopefully make them feel less daunting.

Our new resources are here to support you and your loved ones through advance care planning – giving you tips, advice and things to consider when creating your plan. Take a look here: https://bit.ly/4qp5oga

If you need any help, advice, or just someone to talk to we’re here on 0303 303 0303 or at [email protected].

27/01/2026

12/01/2026

An Anthony Nolan Grant of up to £250 can help with any cost linked to your stem cell transplant.

For example it could help with:
🟢your travel costs to and from medical appointments
🟢new clothes if you gained or lost weight during your transplant
🟢a washing machine repair to help reduce your infection risk after transplant.

To apply for an Anthony Nolan Grant, ask a member of your healthcare team to complete our grant application form on your behalf. This could be a medical professional, a health or social care professional such as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, a district nurse or social worker.

They will simply need this information:
🟢your diagnosis and the type of stem transplant you had or are due to have
🟢your employment/education status
🟢your household savings, mortgage/rent and Council Tax
🟢any benefits you are receiving (note: an Anthony Nolan Grant will not affect any benefits you receive)
🟢your bank details.

The grant application form, and further guidance, is on our website here: www.anthonynolan.org/grants

If you have any questions about our grants service, you can email us at [email protected] or call our Helpline on 0303 303 0303.

Anthony Nolan Grants can financially support patients before, during, and after a stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy. We offer small one-off grants to help with any unexpected costs you may have.

09/01/2026

“After my transplant I couldn’t bear to have HP sauce, which I had loved before. I then had gherkins one day and realised that I loved them – I would never have eaten them before! I asked my brother, who was my donor, if he liked them and he said that he loved them…”

After a stem cell transplant, you’ll have new donor DNA in your bloodstream alongside your own. This is known as chimerism – and this can have some interesting effects!

People can sometimes experience changes in allergies after a transplant, which is due to the changing of cells within your immune system. Often, this will be the development of new allergies to medications or foods, or conditions like asthma. In some cases, people can also lose their old allergies!

Even more interestingly, people have also reported changes in taste, food preferences, or even music!

Right now, there’s no medical evidence to show that changes in taste or personality can be linked to the donor’s cells themselves – instead these changes may be due to side-effects of medication, or the long hospital stays and intense treatments.

Learn more about chimerism in our latest blog: https://bit.ly/497a8kl

PS – have you experienced any changes in allergies, taste or personality since receiving your stem cell transplant?

05/01/2026

Join our Patients and Families Network to help shape Anthony Nolan's work, to support anyone affected by stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy.

It’s so important that patients and their families are involved in our work. By listening to, and learning from your experiences helps us to better understand and support the needs of patients, now and in the future.

Our Patients and Families Network members are emailed regularly about opportunities to be involved in shaping our work. For example:

🟢helping us to develop our patient information e.g. being involved in initial discussions on content and format, reviewing early copy drafts and giving feedback on design
🟢being involved in research about your experiences
🟢testing new services we are developing and giving feedback
🟢opportunities to support other relevant organisations
🟢receiving updates about our work

As a member of our Patients & Families Network, you will be free to be involved as much or as little as you like.

Join here:

Our Patients and Families Network helps us shape Anthony Nolan's work, to support anyone affected by stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy.

31/12/2025

Our Head of Patient Involvement and our Patient Involvement Manager Liam Rooney sat down with Ginny Walker on her podcast Magical Match. They had a lovely conversation about 2 patient and families focused events held each year. Find out more by listening now! Thank you so much for having us Ginny, we really enjoyed our experience with you!

Anthony Nolan’s family camp is held annually in the Midlands and is available to any stem cell transplant or CAR-T recipient under the age of 18, and their family. The event is completely free for families to attend. More here:https://www.anthonynolan.org/patients-and-families/opportunities-and-experiences/family-camp

The British Transplant Games is an annual event that takes place at the beginning of August and next year, it is in Sheffield and the charity offers to cover the registration costs of all Team Anthony Nolan participants, competitors and supporters. More here: http://anthonynolan.org/patients-and-families/opportunities-and-experiences/british-transplant-games

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-3g49y-1a061b4

In this episode I chatted with Sarah Rogers, Head of Patient Involvement and Liam Rooney, Patient and Families Manager from Anthony Nolan. We had a lively and meaningful conversation around two amazing events for families that Team Anthony Nolan participate in; Family Camp which happens each year, i...

24/12/2025

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from Patient Services! We hope you have a wonderful time this year!

Our helpline opening hours are as follows:

Wed 24: 9am - 5pm
Thurs 25: Closed
Fri 26: Closed

Mon 29 - Wed 31: 9am - 5pm
Thurs 1: Closed

We will open again as normal (9am - 5pm) on Fri 2 Jan.

If you email us after 5pm today, we will get back to you after the long weekend.

During this time, for medical support, please contact your transplant team, your GP or 111 (999 in an emergency).

For emotional support during this time, you can contact Samaritans on 116 123 for free at any time - more info is available from www.samaritans.org

09/12/2025

🧫 “I chose to take part in the research as I felt that, even if it didn’t work for me, it could help others. Years later, we know it worked and I’m doing really well.”

Three years ago, Alyssa, then aged 13, was the first person in the world to be treated with BE-CAR7 – a new type of CAR-T therapy using cutting edge technology to modify immune cells from donors to treat T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL).

The treatment was manufactured using cells from Anthony Nolan donors, and undertaken by Great Ormond Street Hospital and Charity and UCL.

Alyssa is now thriving and even visited our labs this year, as she is considering becoming a cancer researcher herself.

Since Alyssa’s treatment, ten more patients have been given the same treatment, with most achieving remission and being able to receive a stem cell transplant. Before this clinical trial, all of these patients had a low chance of survival and very limited treatment options.

Advances in cell therapies like this give us hope that more patients will soon have access to the latest treatments to help them survive and thrive.

Learn more about the BE-CAR7 treatment and what it means for patients here: https://bit.ly/4oJCdCT

05/12/2025

This week marked Grief Awareness Week, a topic that is sadly still a significant part of our work at Anthony Nolan.

Death and bereavement are subjects that can arise within our work at any time, and we want to make sure we are supporting our patients, donors and families as best we can.

Last week we hosted a Memorial Day, where colleagues were invited to come together and reflect on grief – in their personal or professional life. It was a safe space for anyone to share how they felt – knowing that it’s okay to talk about grief and bereavement.

One attendee shared: “I didn’t know what to expect at Memorial Day, but it offered me a space to pause and reflect on my own grief, something which I don’t often give myself time to do. Although it’s something that can affect us all, grief is still a taboo subject, so having the opportunity to hear people speak so openly about their own experience was comforting. And it empowered me to feel able to speak about my own.”

We want to make sure that next year, our Memorial Day is co-created with patients and families and reflects your wishes and ideas, if you want to take part in this please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/n73VtbgjRC.

21/11/2025

Here at Anthony Nolan we’re always building on our network of patients and family members that are involved in research and developing services and support, along with many other opportunities.

Join our Patients & Families Network to have your say shape future support. Email us at [email protected] to sign up and get involved today!

17/11/2025

“Nothing prepared me for the moment that I was able to say thank you to her face to face. I can’t tell you how powerful an emotion it was to finally meet Rachel and be able to thank her for saving not only my life but the lives of my wife and children who now can have a father when they thought they might not."

“I was terrified of the thought that Rachel would meet us and somehow not connect with me and be disappointed for all the effort that she went through to donate. But it was the weirdest feeling - like we’d known each other all our lives. We were a 10/10 DNA match, so somewhere back in the mists of time we’ve been family in one way or another and that was immediately apparent when we met.”

Ian was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, and the disease was so aggressive that he was told a stem cell transplant would be his best chance of survival. After five rounds of chemotherapy, in 2020 it was time to receive these lifesaving cells from a total stranger.

Recovery was tough, but Ian got through the process with the support of his wife and family – and then his thoughts turned to his donor. After exchanging messages, this year they met – and coincidentally, it was on World Leukaemia Day!

“It’s testament to Rachel’s generosity of spirit and incredible kindness that I’m here writing these words and that I tell my wife I love her and hug my grown-up children.”

“I hope hers and my family become closer through the experience. We owe her so much it’s hard to quantify. There’s no greater demonstration of humanity that giving someone part of you to save them. And she happens to be a legend, which is a bonus, I guess.”

“I owe both Anthony Nolan and my incredible donor Rachel my life. I’ll never be able to thank them enough so instead I’m putting my energy into spreading the message far and wide – sign up and save a life like mine. Because you’re also saving the donor’s family too.”