NEWSNEWS ANDAND INFORMATIONINFORMATION FORFOR BLOODBLOOD DONORSDONORS WINTERWINTER 20112011 National Transplant Week is a hit! CountingCounting downdown toto LondonLondon 20122012 JAYNEJAYNE TORVILLTORVILL HappyHappy toto bebe donatingdonating againagain Donor Helpline – 0300 123 23 23 Donor26 p01 F1.indd 1 18/11/2011 15:57 In this issue “If“If I“If ever I ever I ever needed needed needed an an organ,an organ, organ, “ I “might I “might I might register register register as as aas adonor, adonor, donor, COVER STORIES 4 Happy to be donating again I’dI’dI’d obviouslyobviouslyI’dI’d obviously obviouslyobviously taketake take taketake one.”one.” one.” one.”one.” butbutbut not not not right right right now.” now.” now.” When a family member needed blood, gold medallist ice skater Jayne Torvill decided it was time to become a regular blood donor again 8 Our 50,000 friends Thanks to social media, it’s never been easier for us to stay in touch with you 9 High flying family donors Three generations of blood donors in a family may not be that unusual, but three generations of blood donors sky diving together – that is rare! PAGE 4 10 Safer blood for Uganda How two of our team are making a difference to blood services in Uganda 12 Let’s hear it for donors! World Blood Donor Day gave us just the opportunity we needed to say thank you to all our donors 14 Cord blood set to save more lives Since it was set up in 1996 the NHS Cord Blood Bank has helped save many lives. Thanks to new investment cord blood is now helping even more patients PAGE 15 15 Counting down to London 2012 As the country limbers up for the 2012 Olympics, we have been busy planning how to keep blood supplies running smoothly during the Games 18 National Transplant Week is a hit Our ‘What are you waiting for?’ campaign during National Transplant Week has had a fantastic response, with a record number of people joining the NHS organ donor register 21 Blood donor to the rescue PAGE 18 How blood donor Colin Birt found himself unexpectedly giving blood aboard a luxury cruise ship Write and tell us 23 Am I rhesus positive or rhesus negative? your news, views Actually you are neither - rhesus is the wrong name for this particular blood group. and interesting For more surprising facts, read our fascinating article or unusual donor stories. 26 Back behind the wheel Classic car enthusiast Richard Huelin was determined to Write to drive again after a near fatal accident two years ago The Editor, The Donor, NHSBT, 28 “The change in transfusion has been Colindale Avenue, incredible” London NW9 5BG Keeping on top of the supply of blood products for three or email major hospitals is all in a day’s work for transfusion laboratory WouldWouldWould you you you take take take an an organ an organ organ if youif ifyou you needed needed needed one? one? one? Nearly Nearly Nearly everyone everyone everyone thedonor@ manager, Julie Staves would.would.would.would. But But Butonlyonly only only 29% 29% 29% of of us of us have us have have joined joined joined the the theOrgan Organ Organ Donor Donor Donor Register. Register. Register. nhsbt.nhs.uk Plus our regular News, Letters, Q&A, Ask The Doctor and Crossword ThreeThreeThreeThree people people people who who who whoneed need need a transplanta transplanta transplant die die everydie every every day day daydue due dueto tothe to the the The cost of producing, printing and posting each copy of this magazine is less than the price of a second class stamp. The Donor is published by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). Reproduction in whole or part is strictly forbidden without the prior shortageshortageshortage of of organs. of organs. organs. permission of NHSBT. Larger print versions are available via the website. Design and production: Ant Creative (London). Reproduction: Portland Media (London). Printed by Adare on 100% recycled paper. IfIf If youyouIf Ifyou youyou believebelieve believe believebelieve inin in organorganinin organ organorgan donation,donation, donation, donation,donation, proveprove prove proveprove it.it. it. it.it. RegisterRegisterRegisterRegister now nownow now at at organdonation.co.uk at organdonation.nhs.ukorgandonation.co.uk organdonation.co.uk | Text | Text | Text SAVE SAVE SAVE to to 84118 to 84118 84118 WINTER 2011 THE DONOR 3 231792317923179 ODOD2317923179 A5ODA5 Ad.indd Ad.inddODA5OD Ad.indd A5A5 Ad.indd Ad.indd 11 1 11 09/11/201109/11/201109/11/201109/11/201109/11/2011 15:1215:12 15:12 15:1215:12 Donor26 p02 F1.indd 1 21/11/2011 13:05 Donor26 p03 F1.indd 1 18/11/2011 16:14 COVER STORY HappyHappyHappy tototo bebebebe donatingdonatingdonatingdonating againagainagainagain When a family member needed blood, gold medallist ice skater Jayne “I was amazed to Torvill decided it was time to become a regular blood donor again When did you become a blood find out that such donor and where did you start a small number of donating? I started giving blood in the late people give blood ; seventies; the blood service came into my office where I was working, it really was quite asking people to donate. I did it for a couple of years but then I started a surprise” travelling with skating and gave Left and below: Jayne dances up work so I didn’t do it for a long with Christopher Dean while. I started giving blood again about five or six years ago. I donate at sessions in East Sussex. ITV’s Dancing on Ice has Why did you start donating been a huge success. Are you again? currently working on the next I started again because a family series or are you involved with member was very ill and needed any other projects? blood. I started to think about LIFE STORY I’ve just started working on the how many other people are given LIFE STORY next series and filming has started. l blood. I think a lot of people don’t Born in 1957 in Clifton, Nottingham I’ve also been busy promoting the l donate until they know someone Attended Clifton Hall Girls’ Grammar Dancing on Ice Tour 2011 DVD who needs it, and this can motivate School, later worked as an insurance clerk which was released in November. l them to become a regular donor. Started ice skating at the age of eight and What has been the highlight of in 1971, aged just 14, became the British Just recently too, a friend of mine your career so far? National Pairs Champion with partner with cancer has needed a blood Winning the Olympics was a big Michael Hutchinson transfusion. highlight! The success of Dancing l 1975 – paired up with Christopher Dean and they came fifth in Tell us about your involvement on Ice has also been fantastic – the 1980 Winter Olympics. Dean gave up his job as a policeman with National Blood Week in Christopher and I both had such and Torvill stopped work as an insurance clerk so they could skate June this year. long careers that there’ve been It’s the first time I have been involved together full-time many happy times and highlights. in National Blood Week and the l 1980 – made an MBE You must be busy with two first time I have really spoken about l 1984 – she and Christopher win Gold at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics children and a TV career. giving blood. I was amazed to find and were watched by a British television audience of 24 million What is your favourite thing out during the week that such a l 2000 – Jayne is made an OBE to do at the end of a busy day’s small number of people give blood; l 2007 – Jayne and Christopher star in ITV’s popular Saturday evening filming? it really was quite a surprise. I was show, Dancing on Ice, afterwards appearing in six further series. My favourite thing to do the end of very happy to help and hopefully I l Jayne lives in East Sussex with her husband and their two children, l a busy day is relax with a nice glass can do more in the future. Kieran and Jessica. of Chardonnay! l 4 THE DONOR WINTER 2011 WINTER 2011 THE DONOR 5 Donor26 p04&05 F1.indd 2 18/11/2011 14:39 Donor26 p04&05 F1.indd 3 18/11/2011 12:32 NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews £4m stem cell funding will Multi-faith event to thank donors Celebrating another successful year aith and civic leaders attended a special elcome to the winter issue of The I would like to thank you help save more lives Fmeeting in London to give thanks to Donor magazine and an opportunity for your outstanding efforts p to 200 extra lives could be saved W blood donors from black and minority to celebrate the passing of another year of over the last 12 months, each year, thanks to new measures U ethnic (BME) communities. continuity in serving the blood transfusion whether it was your first to make stem cells more available to The multi-faith event was held at needs of patients and also to mark the donation or you have been patients. The changes are being made the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in introduction of some changes - including the giving blood for many years possible by £4m of new Government Golders Green, London, where high- launch of The Donor e-magazine.