MSP proud to support lifesaving Anthony Nolan/SFRS Partnership

I was proud to support the lifesaving Anthony Nolan and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Partnership in Parliament last week.

Good to catch up with Ally Boyle and Andy Watt again and to meet Cameron who is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s 100th stem cell donor.

There are 9,490 potential donors on the register in the Highlands and Islands.

Donors give blood cancer patients a second chance of life and the Partnership urgently needs to sign up more donors aged 16-30.

Young male donors are much more likely to be selected by transplant centres and Anthony Nolan’s research has shown that the younger the donor, the better the patient’s chance of survival.

A diverse range of ethnic backgrounds among stem cell donors will help make sure everyone has the best chance of surviving blood cancer.

About

Born in Stornoway, brought up on the south shores of Loch Torridon in Wester Ross and now living in Inverness, Rhoda has experience of living in both rural and urban areas of the Highlands and Islands, giving her the knowledge to understand the various challenges faced by our communities.

Rhoda has worked in both the public and private sectors in the Highlands. Employed for a number of years with the public sector trade union Unison and The Highland Council, then as a Member of the Scottish Parliament between 1999 and 2003, then again from 2007.

Rhoda has held many Shadow Cabinet roles including Rural and Connectivity Cabinet Secretary, Shadow Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Shadow Health Minister, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Shadow Minister for Economy, and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice. She is currently the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Land Reform, Islands.