To ask the Minister of Health whether he intends to conduct a public health campaign, alongside the Public Health Agency, to raise awareness and encouragement for stem cell donation.

Raising awareness about stem cell donation is generally led by a number of charities through UK-wide communications and campaigns which provide information about the signs and symptoms of blood cancer and other blood disorders, and inform people about how they can join the network of national and international stem cell registries. Registering as a stem cell donor can potentially help a patient in another part of the world for whom a related donor match has not been identified.

My Department has supported previous campaigns to raise awareness about stem cell donation, and plans to do so again this September for Blood Cancer Awareness Month. It is hoped that this will encourage informed discussion and positive action around this important subject.

The Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies, including the Public Health Agency, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service have also supported stem cell donation awareness through signposting and providing information about joining the stem cell registries, and promoting the campaign activities of charities and individual families.