Nottingham student to become Britain's youngest bone marrow donor

A 17-year-old student from Nottingham is set to become Britain's youngest bone marrow donor to help save the life of a complete stranger.

Ethan Buttress from Lady Bay will make history when he travels to London this week for an operation to take the marrow from his pelvis bone.

After signing up to the Anthony Nolan Trust register at Bilborough Sixth Form College, Ethan was told he is a match for a young boy who suffers from cancer and needs a transplant.

Within 72 hours of the surgery, the bone marrow will be transplanted into the recipient.

Due to confidentiality rules, Ethan may never meet the child who receives the treatment.

Speaking to the Anthony Nolan Trust ahead of his operation, the teenager said:

Chris Bradford, the Principle at Bilborough College, said: “Ethan’s commitment to making such an important contribution to a child’s welfare is truly inspirational.

"We hope it will help encourage other young people – locally and nationally – to put themselves forward as potential donors.”

Anthony Nolan Trust said Ethan is one of the youngest in the world to be donating to a stranger through a public donor register, and is the youngest in the UK.

In 2012 the blood cancer charity lowered its age limit for donors from 18 to 16 and began touring colleges across the UK to encourage more teenagers to join the register.