Call handler recognised for saving stranger's life after donation

A Scottish Ambulance Service call taker who saved the life of stranger by donating his stem cells has urged anyone aged 16 to 30 to register as a donor.

Scott Birnie, a North call handler based in Inverness, applied to be stem donor with UK charity Anthony Nolan, the world’s first stem cell register, while still in school, aged 17.

The charity, which celebrated its 50th birthday this year, connects people with blood cancer and blood disorders with members of the public who register to donate their stem cells.

Scott, now aged 22, signed up to be a donor after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service visited his school in Culloden Academy. Three years later, he was told he was a match for someone in London.

Scott, who joined SAS three years ago, said he was flown twice to London; first to fully test for the possibility of a match and secondly to do the donation after he was confirmed as a perfect match.

He added: “Mostly it was my friend, now a dispatcher, who encouraged me to join. It was a long time after I signed up that I got a call. I honestly never thought anything would come of it as the odds of a match are 1 in a million. Looking back, I’m so glad I decided to sit in that chair in school.”

Last year, the person reached out to Scott, sending a letter saying how grateful he was

Scott said: “He got in touch with me around the end of last year. He said to me ‘if you would like to get in contact, please do not hesitate - I would love to meet up with you and show you that the five hours you sat in that chair means so much more than you will ever know’.

“This was at the end of a huge email where they told me all about their life and how they are now going back to university, which is something they never thought they would be able to do again.”

Scott said he would love to meet the person and they still kept in touch but said “it is entirely up to the recipient.”

Scott received a commendation letter from the fire service in partnership with the Anthony Nolan Trust for his donation, and was invited to an award ceremony to celebrate his commendation.

Speaking of donating, Scott said: “If you’re aged 16 - 30 I encourage you to join the stem cell register with Anthony Nolan. It's very simple and easy to do. You may think you will never match with someone but you could be the difference in saving someone's life.”