Time Running Out To #Donateyourname

Time is running out for people to be involved in Cure Leukaemia’s innovative fundraising campaign, ‘Donate Your Name.’ The campaign offers the public the opportunity to add their name or chosen name to the design of the charity’s commemorative running shirt which will be worn by all of Cure Leukaemia’s runners in the Great Birmingham Run this October.

Hundreds of people have donated their names including a host of famous faces. England cricketers Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Steven Finn and Chris Woakes, the Warwickshire CCC squad, the Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers squads, former footballers Matthew Le Tissier, Francis Benali and Matt Murray, broadcaster Adrian Chiles and X-Factor winner Sam Bailey.

To help push the campaign in the next few days charity partner Elonex has generously given Cure Leukaemia advertising space on the M6, A38 and M5 to drive donations. 

Former England, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Nottingham Forest footballer, blood cancer survivor and Cure Leukaemia patron Geoff Thomas has donated his name and is keen to encourage people to join him on the shirt.

“This is a very special campaign," he said. "Not everyone can run 13.1miles or cycle 300miles so this is way people can still be a part of the event by adding their name to the shirt. To think that all of Cure Leukaemia’s runners will be wearing this shirt in October is very inspiring I am sure it will help spur them all on when the going gets tough.

"We have had tremendous support from some famous faces and I hope many more people donate their names before it is too late.”

Funds raised from this campaign will go towards the £3m planned expansion of the Centre for Clinical Haematology (CCH) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. This development will double the capacity of the already world renowned Centre to create the Birmingham Institute of Haematology. This will mean more specialist research nurses can be employed, more world first clinical trials can be opened and more patients can be treated. 

Specialist research nurse Donna Walsh, whose position at the CCH in Birmingham is funded by Cure Leukaemia, was the first person to donate her name. She said: “It’s a wonderful idea and one I’m sure patients, their families and the public will want to be a part of.

"I hope this shirt can raise lots of vital funds to allow us to continue to treat patients with groundbreaking treatments that are not available through standard care. I was very proud to be the first person to donate my name to this fantastic campaign.”

The deadline to #DonateYourName is midnight Friday August 12th and as added incentive anyone who has donated their name before the deadline will have a chance to win £100 in Slaters vouchers or afternoon tea for two at a UK Malmaison Hotel of their choice.

It costs £20 to donate your name via http://www.donateyourname.co.uk and not only will you name be added to these special shirts but you will also be sent your own later in the year.

All runners taking part in the Great Birmingham Run on Sunday October 16th 2016 will wear the shirt and Cure Leukaemia are looking for more people to be inspired and sign up for the 13.1mile event.