Valerie’s granddaughters meet HRH Countess of Wessex
Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex has visited the Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre in Nottingham. Her Royal Highness visited the blood cancer charity’s centre, on the campus of Nottingham Trent University, on July 2. After meeting various dignatories Her Royal Highness had the opportunity to meet other members of Anthony Nolan staff, and to find out more about the centre’s work, accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir John Peace.
The Countess of Wessex met patients and families who have benefited from cord blood.
Sorrel Mason, 10, from Suffolk, who had a stem cell transplant in 2007 using stem cells from umbilical cords donated in Japan, also met the Countess during her visit along with her younger sister Daisy.
Sorrel presented Her Royal Highness with a posy and assisted her unveiling a plaque commemorating her visit.
Her Royal Highness studied in detail a photograph album of Sorrel’s journey to recovery with great interest.
The Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre is run by the pioneering blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, which matches potential bone marrow donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a bone marrow (or stem cell) transplant.
As well as running the bone marrow donor register, the charity collects umbilical cord blood which is vital in the fight against blood cancers. Anthony Nolan collects cord blood at hospitals in London, Leicester and Manchester. This blood is rich in potentially life-saving stem cells that can be used in a transplant. Once it has been collected, it is taken to the Anthony Nolan Cell Therapy Centre where it is processed and stored for use in national, and international, hospitals.
For more information about the cord blood programme, visit www.anthonynolan.org/cord
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