Help nail blood cancer this Blood Cancer Awareness Month

Within one month, 2,500 people in the UK will be diagnosed with a blood cancer – that’s one every 20 minutes, the same time it takes to get a manicure. This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we’re challenging people to play their part in the fight against blood cancer by hosting a #LetsNailBloodCancer mani-pedicure party to raise money. These donations will help us to register more potential blood stem cell donors and save more lives.

Within one month, 2,500 people in the UK will be diagnosed with a blood cancer – that’s one every 20 minutes, the same time it takes to get a manicure.

This Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we’re challenging people to play their part in the fight against blood cancer by hosting a #LetsNailBloodCancer mani-pedicure party to raise money. These donations will help us to register more potential blood stem cell donors and save more lives.

The #LetsNailBloodCancer fundraising kits

In the UK, only 1 in 3 people with a blood cancer (and in need of a transplant) will find a matching blood stem cell donor within their own family, so 2 in 3 need to rely on a stranger to save their life. Whilst we have a growing register of over 400,000 potential donors, we desperately need to register more people to find a match for everyone in need.

Donate money for donor registration costs

It costs £40 to register a new potential blood stem cell donor in the UK. Of those people who usually get their nails done professionally, 89% would spend up to £40 on a monthly manicure. We’ve teamed up with British cosmetic brand Barry M to provide some fantastic fundraising kits, including a bottle of Barry M red nail paint, for anyone who signs up to take part in the campaign. In return, we’ll ask you to organise a #LetsNailBloodCancer mani-pedicure party and raise money to cover the costs of registering new potential donors.

#LetsNailBloodCancer - Barry M Partnership

We’ve teamed up with Barry M to provide #LetsNailBloodCancer fundraising kits

Celebrity support to #LetsNailBloodCancer

We are delighted that Rosie Williams from this year’s Love Island ITV series, is supporting this campaign.

She said: “In the 20 minutes it takes you to have a manicure, another person will have been diagnosed with a blood cancer. The fight against blood cancer is one that matters so much to me, having a rare blood disorder called Thalassemia Beta B and I’m so proud to be supporting DKMS in this drive to encourage people right across the UK to host their own #LetsNailBloodCancer parties.

"The parties are a chance to get together with friends, paint nails and donate the price of a usual manicure to charity. These donations will help DKMS register more potential donors and help save lives”.

Raising vital funds with #LetsNailBloodCancer parties

Gail Wilson’s six year old son, Scott, was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago. They were told that if Scott comes out of remission then there could be a possibility that he may one day need to find a matching blood stem cell donor.

She said: “Everyone seems to be aware of blood donation and organ donation but there is a lack of awareness around blood stem cell donation. By hosting a #LetsNailBloodCancer party you can raise vital funds to help register more potential lifesavers.”

Caroline Richardson, Head of Fundraising at DKMS says: “We wanted to double the feel-good factor with this campaign by encouraging people to pamper themselves while also helping to give people in need of a blood stem cell transplant a second chance at life.

"The #LetsNailBloodCancer parties are a great alterative to a professional manicure and our fundraising kits contain a beautiful shade of Barry M nail paint. We’ve had a fantastic response from everyone so far. We hope more people sign up for a kit.”