A BONE marrow recruitment drive was held today at the police training centre in Hendon.

The event was inspired by Joanna Vigo-Mestres, a police training officer based at the Aerodrome Road centre, who has a rare type of cancer.

The 43-year-old mother was diagnosed with smoldering myeloma in June and immediately began a campaign to raise awareness about the shortage of bone marrow donors across the country.

Although she cannot undergo a bone marrow transplant herself, as the risks are too high, she has remained committed to recruiting people who may be able to help others with potentially terminal diseases.

She said: “A lot of people think life owes them and they don't owe a life.

“It is a shame because one day it might be them or their child who needs a transplant.

“The turn out today has been fantastic. These are the people that want to make a difference and want to help somebody. They might never be called up to donate, but it shows what sort of people they are to offer.”

Dozens of officers and staff attended the session and gave a spit sample to staff from Anthony Nolan, a charity that finds matches for leukaemia and other bone related cancer patients who need lifesaving stem cell transplants.

The samples will be sent off for analysis and participants will be contacted if a match is found with a patient.

And Joanna said joining the register was an extremely worthwhile move which could result in saving a person's life.

She said: “When I go to a chemotherapy suite for my treatment I talk to people who know a bone marrow transplant is their last chance of survival.

“If you know you can help someone else it is such a good feeling. It is such a small procedure to save a life.

“People rush around and they never know other until they get into a position where they need help, and that is why we need to club together to make a difference.”

Anthony Nolan was set up in 1974 to create a database of children and adults who have been diagnosed with life threatening blood diseases and matches them with bone marrow donors.

Jenner Large, regional donor recruitment manager, said the donation process is very simple and is not as painful as many people believe.

She said: “If you have given blood, the pain is the same, it is just the process is a bit longer. But compared to the fact you are potentially saving a life, it's nothing.

“For every person we can save, there is another person we can't find a match for.

“Donating is very tangible. If you are that match for a person's tissue type, it is an incredible feeling. It is a huge privilege to to go through that process and to do such a big thing by saving a life.”

To find out more and to become a donor, visit www.anthonynolan.org or call 0303 303 0303.