A BLOOD cancer charity is on the hunt for new bone marrow donors to help save the lives of seriously ill people, including a youngster fromWestcliff.

Anthony Nolan has teamed up with Everyone Active, which runs the Basildon Sporting Village, in a bid to urge residents across south Essex to put their names on the national register.

The scheme is being supported by the family of 22- month-old Jack Kleinberg, who has already had to undergo two transplants.

The tot, from Westcliff, was born with rare Wiskott- Aldrich Syndrome and Familial Mediterranean Fever, which means he is highly prone to infections and has to live in near isolation.

He is waiting for a donor to come forward so he can undergo a third transplant.

Lynsey Dickson, from AnthonyNolan, which was set up in 1974 by the family of a three-year-old boy, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Everyone Active and are very grateful to Jack’s family for supporting the partnership.

“The people recruited to the Anthony Nolan register during this partnership will go on to be the lifesavers of the future and the money Everyone Active raises will help us to continue our vital work.”

Volunteers will also be taking part in team challenges, raffles, auctions and fancy dress fitness classes in a bid to reach a £100,000 fundraising target.

Alison Ford, sales and business manager at Everyone Active, said: “Anthony Nolan is such an important, worthwhile cause. For thousands of people with blood cancers, their only hope of survival is a donation of healthy stem cells. We believe that active people using our centres are the ideal people to join the Anthony Nolan register to help save lives.

“Everyone Active are only too pleased to do our bit to raise awareness and will continue to support the charity in 2015 and beyond, not only by increasing people on the register, but by also raising as much money as possible through different fund raising events.”

The scheme, which includes similar recruitment days at gyms and leisure centres across the country, is expected to lead to at least 500 new donors joining the Anthony Nolan register.

Anyone interested in finding out about joining the register is urged to pop along to the sporting village, off Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, between 5pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday, February 4.

For more information about the initiative,