Rugby friends launch charity following teammate’s shock cancer diagnosis

The two friends are encouraging others to help save lives and sign up to be blood stem cell transplant donors
Gareth Glynn grew up in the rugby community and says he knows he can count on their support.Gareth Glynn grew up in the rugby community and says he knows he can count on their support.
Gareth Glynn grew up in the rugby community and says he knows he can count on their support.

A pair of rugby players are encouraging sports fans to become donors after their teammate received an emergency transplant following a shock cancer diagnosis.

Alan Bell and Gareth Glynn met on the rugby field more than ten years ago and have formed a close friendship over the years of playing together.

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In 2018, Mr Bell suddenly collapsed whilst shopping and after being transferred to the hospital was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer that requires immediate treatment.

Gareth Glynn and Alan Bell playing against each other on the rugby field.Gareth Glynn and Alan Bell playing against each other on the rugby field.
Gareth Glynn and Alan Bell playing against each other on the rugby field.

The rugby player from Dunbar received a blood stem cell transplant from a family member which saved his life.

Mr Glynn said that his friend was very lucky to have found a match and the same is not true for many others needing emergency treatment.

He said: “In 2018 around Christmas time, my friend Alan was not feeling great with what he thought was man flu and suddenly collapsed whilst shopping.

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“He was quickly diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia and as a result of this urgently needed a stem cell transplant.

“He was very lucky to receive a match within his family but was extremely lucky this was the case, only one in three people do.”

Knowing how vital donations are for people without a family match, Mr Bell was delighted when rugby mate Mr Glynn signed up as a blood stem cell donor.

The pair have since decided to launch a charity called Bloody Rugby to spread awareness of blood cancer and encourage more people from the rugby community to donate when they can.

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Mr Glynn said: “We wanted to encourage more donations and knew that our best option was to get support from fellow rugby players.

“We both grew up in the rugby community, we are strong believers that the rugby family is the best and that we all look out for each other.”

Bloody Rugby’s main aim is to raise awareness of blood cancer and encourage as many young, fit people as possible to donate to those needing a transplant.

My Glynn said: “I think people hear the work transplant and get scared. It sounds like a huge thing to do but it is actually a very simple process just like donating blood. If there was more information out there about what is included I think a lot more people would donate. So that’s what we are trying to do, speak awareness and get more people involved.”

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Reshna Radiven works for blood cancer charity DKMS UK and said she is ‘delighted’ with the pair's efforts to increase donations.

She said: “We were absolutely delighted at DKMS to hear Gareth and Alan’s story of how they along with the local rugby community set up ‘Bloody Rugby’ to encourage people to become blood stem cell donors.

“There are still so many people who don’t realise how straightforward it is to sign up to become a blood stem cell donor and the lifesaving impact it can have on someone else. This initiative has the potential to have a huge impact for those with blood cancer or blood disorders across the world and help to encourage young men who are underrepresented on the register to take action.

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