In a sign of the growing awareness of stem cells and their impact on medical treatments, UK citizens have signed a petition advocating for their Parliament to allow people to receive time off work in order to make stem cell donations. Thousands of patients worldwide await stem cell treatments due to the severe lack of stem cell donors, and although many people want to donate, they find themselves hesitating in fear of missing work.
This new campaign aims to grant people time off in order to make life-saving donations much like the jury duty system allows people to miss work without penalties from employers. Having a government sanctioned day off to donate cells will encourage more people to volunteer and help treat and extend the life of thousands of patients who cannot find donor matches. The campaign represents a realization, by both the government and the public, of stem cells and the increasing roles they’re playing in groundbreaking treatments and cures.
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