RCN Foundation partners with DKMS UK

In recognition of World Blood Cancer Day today (4 February), we're pleased to announce our partnership with the RCN Foundation and the launch of an education grant, designed to empower UK nurses caring for patients with blood cancer and blood disorders.

Strengthening the frontline in blood cancer care

Launched in the UK in 2013, we hold the biggest stem cell register in the country, which has over one million active registered donors. As a global leader in the facilitation of unrelated stem cell transplants, DKMS registers stem cell donors, provides second chances at life for those in need of a transplant, and is heavily involved in research to continually improve the survival and recovery rate of patients, as well as improving access to transplantation worldwide. To date, DKMS has registered over 12 million potential stem cell donors, and over 110,000 second chances at life have been provided globally by DKMS.

DKMS UK has donated £30,000 to the RCN Foundation to establish an education grant for UK nurses working in or wishing to study oncology and haematology. This will be an annual grant, distributed by the RCN Foundation over three years and there will be no minimum or maximum individual grant size that will be awarded. Over 2,000 people each year in the UK need a stem cell transplant, but just 3% of the UK’s population are registered as potential donors. This partnership also seeks to mitigate this disparity, equipping nurses currently working in oncology and haematology and providing those wishing to study in this area with the opportunity to do so.

Fostering future leaders through education

Deepa Korea, Director of the RCN Foundation, said: “This donation will enable many dedicated nurses to undertake courses to enhance their skills in an already specialised area. We are grateful to be working with DKMS to not only help increase the number of nurses working in this area of the profession, but to also raise awareness and in turn, encourage more people to become stem cell donors.”

Stephan Schumacher, Interim Chief Executive Officer for DKMS UK said: “Nurses are at the forefront of caring for patients with blood cancer and blood disorders, and they have a vital role to play in raising awareness of the urgent need for more people to register as potential stem cell donors, especially from currently under-represented communities. DKMS UK is delighted to establish this education grant with the RCN Foundation to support nurses in their invaluable work.”

Courses should be undertaken in 2024-2025. Applications will open on Friday 1 March and close on Friday 31 May and will fall under the Professional Bursary Scheme (PBS) education grant. For more information visit the RCN Foundation website.