2 February 2012 Last updated at 08:31 ET

More than 100 police officers in Cornwall have signed up to become bone marrow donors.

Insp Dave Meredith, of Devon and Cornwall Police, had appealed to staff to register for the medical procedure.

So far, 110 officers in Cornwall have signed up to the register in three weeks, with a call to Devon officers due to follow.

Insp Meridith said: "I'm very impressed but I think this reflects on the goodwill of the officers and staff."

'Saving someone's life'

Insp Meredith said he decided to encourage registration after the donation method changed.

Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

The bigger the pool, the bigger the chance”

End Quote Karen Archer Anthony Nolan charity

Donors register by providing a sample of saliva, and then 80% of those asked to donate, do so by giving blood, from which their stem cells are retrieved.

Insp Meredith said: "In light of those changes I thought I've really got to take one step forward.

"People were a little apprehensive at first but once they thought about it and realised the implication and that they were potentially saving someone's life they readily agreed."

Simon Wilcock, an officer in Newquay who had Hodgkin's Lymphoma ten years ago, said: "I was on chemotherapy at the time and it had worked to a point.

"But it had got to the stage where without a transplant there's no doubt that in a few months I probably wouldn't have survived."

The appeal to the force was issued three weeks ago with the volunteers required to be aged between 18 and 40, although those on the register remain on it until they turn 60.

Karen Archer from the charity, Anthony Nolan, said: "It takes one person to save a life so if we've got 110 people joining the register then that's amazing news.

"People can be waiting years for that one right person to join the register, but there are 1000s of people waiting at any one time.

"The bigger the pool, the bigger the chance."

Read the original here:
Police officers offer bone marrow

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