HUNDREDS of students and staff at the University of Worcester signed up as potential stem cell donors for Oscar Saxelby-Lee yesterday.

The university’s student union partnered with Anthony Nolan, a research charity, to help find a stem cell transplant match for the Worcester five-year-old with leukaemia.

Oscar’s story has spread worldwide over the last few weeks and thousands have already registered.

The first donor testing event saw nearly 5,000 people attend Oscar’s school, Pitmaston Primary in St John’s over the weekend of March 2 and 3.

Yesterday at the university campus, 421 people registered. Regional manager for Anthony Nolan, Karen Archer, said: “What we’re doing today is giving potential donors the chance to join the register, filling in a form and doing a swab.

“It only takes a couple of minutes and you could become someone’s lifesaver.

“We’re working all around the UK at the moment and we’ve had people as far as India, California, Canada, asking to help.”

Student and resident volunteers were at the university from 8am and donations ran from 10am through to 6pm.

Eleanor York, student engagement coordinator at the student union, said: “Oscar’s mum is a student here and we partnered up with Anthony Nolan because we want to do more things like this.

“It’s about finding a donor for anyone who needs it and raising awareness to students and staff about being on the register.

“It’s been incredible to see so many students signing up and so important to make sure that everyone is on the register.”

Student Lopa Das, 27, said: “I just want to help out because I study a physician associate course and I understand why this is so important.”

Other events by Anthony Nolan are being held around the country in other universities and cities to help not only Oscar but others also awaiting a match. Principle Lecturer in Social Work, Dr Peter Unwin said: “I know Olivia and obviously we wanted to do something to help so it has come together really nicely here at the university.”