It was another great day in Parliament for LHS UK in partnership with Delete Blood Cancer.
Many cross party MP’s came forward to register to the list and also to show their support for the LHS / DBC UK work in signing donors to the international registry between the ages of 17 -55.
Andy Burnham the Labour Shadow Health Secretary and Steve Rotherham Labour MP for Walton, Liverpool dropped by to show their support as did Tory MP for Wiltshire John Glen who was identified as being a potentially life saving match at the last LHS Parliamentary drive in 2013 and who had recently donated stem cells to a patient in need of a transplant.
It was a full on day for many LHS Volunteers and DBCUK team some of whom had travelled down to London from North Wales including members of the By Your Side appeal team from NHS Charity Awyr Glas / Blue Skies.
At the gates of Parliament we were ushered through security by Mark Tami MP for Deeside and taken to the offices of Chris Ruane MP for Denbighshire, who have both been supportive from the beginning and had also arranged the second follow up donor drive for 2015.
Mike Peters and Chris Ruane immediately set to making a lobbying leaflet that was to be handed out to MP’s as they left the various debating sessions in the House Of Commons as a reminder of the LHS Donor Drive taking place on the day.
As soon as the doors to the drive were open a steady stream of MP’s from all parties came in to be swabbed and sign the registry along with individuals from their staff and support teams. Many took the opportunity to have photographs taken in order to share the LHS message of saving lives through social media with the general public who reside in their local constituencies.
After the drive the team was allowed to visit the House Of Commons terrace which runs alongside the River Thames to debrief and follow up on arrangements for the forthcoming Ben Nevis and Snowdon Rocks events which take place on June 13th and June 20th respectively this summer.
As the date was March 17th there also happened to be lots of St. Patricks Day celebrations taking place all through the historic building and co-founder and musician Mike Peters found himself on the terrace chatting with legendary singer Fergal Sharkey of hugely influential Irish band The Undertones.
As the sun descended over London, people headed for their homes satisfied that another day had been spent helping to save lives, and as the story of John Glen goes to prove….. if you are aged between 17-55 and register as a donor today it could be you that gets called next time!!!
