RUGBY teams from across the region will show support for a six-year-old with aplastic anaemia by wearing T-shirts with the #Marrow4Marley logo today.
Printed and donated by Total Workwear in Newport, the idea for the T-shirts came after they read about Marley Nicholls’ desperate search for a bone marrow donor in the South Wales Argus.
Marley’s condition means he needs a bone marrow transplant and without it doctors said he could die in the next two or three years.
“Everyone has been so kind,"Marley's Mum Shaney Truman said. “We haven't met these people before and they have got behind us. It just means everything to us.
“Every person who registers is one closer to finding a donor. The more people, the more hope.
Dad Joe Nicholls said: “It’s brilliant to see people come and show their support. It will help to spread the word. The amount of support we are receiving is unbelievable.”
Yesterday representatives from Rogerstone RFC, Malpas RFC, Whiteheads RFC, Bettws RFC St Julians High School Old Boys RFC, Newport Saracens RFC, Hartridge RFC, Pill Harriers RFC, St Josephs RFC, Newport High School Old Boys RFC and Caerleon RFC met the family for a photo and to collect the shirts.
Joe Edwards, sales manager at Total Workwear said: “I saw the Facebook campaign and read about it in the Argus and we wanted to promote it.
"We hope it spreads all over social media to get donations.”
Greg D’leny, captain at Caerleon RFC, said: “Joe contacted us and asked if we could help out, and as rugby is community based we have all got together and joined it.
“We will all wear the shirts on Saturday to spread awareness.”
Callum Rowland from Bettws RFC added: “It’s something that has touched a number of people, especially those with children themselves, it must be horrendous for the family to be going through this. We just wanted to get involved.”
Also supporting the cause is David Tovey from Pill Harriers RFC.
He said: "We know Joe, Marley's dad, and his uncle through rugby and as a club we wanted to get behind them and support
Players will be wearing the T-shirts to warm up before their games and will take a photo of everyone wearing them under the rugby posts.
The campaign #MarrowforMarley has meant that 3,000 people have signed up to become donors with Anthony Nolan, a charity which matches people willing to donate their blood stem cells or bone marrow to people who need lifesaving transplants, and has also led to a huge increase in blood donations.
People will be able to join the donor register during a session which is to be held in the Cwmbran Centre on Saturday, September 8 from 11am.
Follow the campaign at facebook.com/marrowformarley.
Read More:
Family's desperate plea for bone marrow donors to save son sees 3,000 people register
Newsquest titles are backing the campaign to save six-year-old Marley from Newport
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article