Volvo Body and Paint manager, Steve Plunkett is set to be honoured by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, at a digital awards celebration this month.
Steve has been shortlisted for the Donor Champion of the Year Award at the Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards 2021 for raising over £20,000 for the charity.
The prestigious Anthony Nolan Supporter Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of the volunteers, fundraisers, clinical supporters and donors who help the pioneering blood cancer charity save lives.
Steve’s fundraising journey began when his father was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1982 and received a stem cell transplant. Sadly, the treatment was not successful and his father passed away in the same year.
Following his dad’s death, Steve joined the Anthony Nolan stem cell register in the hope of matching with a patient in need of a stem cell transplant much like his dad. To his surprise, he was found to be a match for a patient in 2003 and was able to donate his stem cells.
When reminiscing, Steve said: “My dad didn’t survive but when he was told he would need a transplant and he heard they’d found a stem cell match, it gave him and all of us a lot of hope. I want to do that for someone else by supporting Anthony Nolan.”
As a proud champion of Anthony Nolan, Steve – who hosts an annual Plunky’s All Stars game – held a football match in 2021 raising over £16,000 for the charity. Steve continued fundraising by running a marathon for Anthony Nolan, and in total he has now raised over £20,000.
In the future, Steve’s JustGiving page “Steve ‘Plunkys’ Plunkett All Stars 2021 Annual Football Match” page will remain open and plans to do anther charity football match this year as well as take part in the London marathon.
Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “Congratulations Steve! Your commitment to Anthony Nolan is unlike any other and we are very grateful to you for both donating your stem cells to a patient in need of a transplant and fundraising for us. Your endless perseverance is an inspiration to us all.”
Anthony Nolan is the charity that finds matching stem cell donors for people with blood cancer and blood disorders and gives them a second chance at life. It also carries out ground-breaking research to save more lives and provide information and support to patients after a stem cell transplant, through its clinical nurse specialists and psychologists, who help guide patients through their recovery.
All winners will be revealed at 7pm on Thursday 17 February.
