How one selfless act sparked a career dedicated to saving lives

Linzi Dickinson has spent the last decade quietly transforming lives: one donation at a time.

What started as a simple act of generosity has grown into a lifelong commitment to helping others, proving that even the smallest gestures can have the biggest impact.

Linzi, 37, from Droylsden, first signed up to be a stem cell donor in 2011 during a routine blood donation appointment.

She never imagined she’d be called upon to make a life-saving difference. But just three years later, the phone rang with news that she was a match for someone in urgent need of a stem cell transplant.

Linzi Dickinson’s journey

Without hesitation, she stepped up, knowing she had the power to give a stranger a second chance at life.

“It was a no-brainer,” Linzi recalled. “The idea that I could directly help someone in need was amazing. When I got the call, I didn’t think twice—I just knew I had to do it.”

That selfless act ignited something in Linzi. Two years later, she joined NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) as a donor carer, dedicating her career to supporting blood donors across Manchester.

NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT)

Travelling from community to community, she has played a role in collecting thousands of blood donations—each one a potential lifesaver.

Now, as an Education and Training Facilitator at NHSBT, Linzi is passing on her knowledge to new donor carers, ensuring even more people can contribute to this life-saving cause.

But her mission doesn’t stop there. She continues to encourage others to join the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry, knowing firsthand how critical those donations can be.

“I don’t know who received my stem cells,” Linzi shared. “But I was told it was likely a child due to the number of cells needed. Not long after my donation, I received a letter from the recipient’s parents, thanking me. It was incredibly special to know I had not only helped the recipient but their whole family. I hope that now, ten years on, they are happy and healthy.”

Helping people battling life-threatening diseases

Stem cell transplants are often a last hope for those battling life-threatening diseases, such as leukaemia. Finding a donor match can be incredibly difficult, but every new registration increases the odds for someone in need.

Guy Parkes, Head of Stem Cell Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Linzi’s is an incredible story and just goes to show how easy it is to make one small decision that will positively impact so many. By saying yes to joining the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry when asked, Linzi has gone on to directly save a life and indirectly save thousands more by going on to become a donor carer. The number of people’s lives she has impacted, is fantastic and we cannot thank her enough.

“Registering to be a potential stem cell donor through NHSBT is really easy once you’re signed up, there’s nothing to do, until you are found as a match and then donation is safe and easy.

“We would urge all eligible blood donors to follow in Linzi’s footsteps and say yes to stem cell donation. Ask about signing up to the register at your next appointment. Your stem cells could help to save a life.”

Linzi  has not only saved lives but also inspired countless others to do the same. Her journey reminds us that kindness is contagious—and in Manchester, it’s changing lives every single day.

You can sign up to be a bloody donor by clicking here