A family-run community Pharmacy has raised £10,752 in aid of blood cancer charity, Anthony Nolan.

Dhiru Shah, from Shilchem Chemist based in Leicester organised The Summer Bash with support from local businesses, personalities and the city’s Jalaram Mandir.

Dhiru said, ‘It’s wonderful that the event was able to raise nearly £11,000 for Anthony Nolan’s work. God has given me the strength to do good work for many local charitable projects in need, and the Trustees of Jalaram Mandir Trust have always supported me in my work.”

Anthony Nolan saves the lives of people with blood cancer, such as leukaemia, by matching them to people willing to donate their bone marrow, or blood stem cells, for a lifesaving transplants.

It also carries out pioneering research to increase stem cell transplant success, and supports patients through their transplant journeys.

Beatrix Passmore, Community Fundraising Manager at Anthony Nolan, said, ‘The work that Dhiru is doing makes such a big difference to people with blood cancer. It costs £40 to recruit each person to the Anthony Nolan register, so fundraising is a vital part of our lifesaving work.

"The more fundraising we do, the more potential donors we can recruit onto the stem cell register, and the more lives we can save.’