News and information Summer 2013 DDonoronorThe for blood donors

WANTED:WANTED: 200,000200,000 moremore donorsdonors DAMIENDAMIEN MOLONYMOLONY AA bloodblood addictaddict givinggiving bloodblood Organ Donation A message from the heart

Donor29 p01 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 09:35 In this issue “I‘d definitely take“I‘d definitelyan “The takeOrgan an Donor“The Register? Organ Donor Register?COVER STORIES 4 A blood addict giving blood! organ if I neededorgan one” if I neededHaven’t one” got roundHaven’t to joining.” got round to joining.” Damian Malony is best know for his role as Hal, a vampire the BBC 3 series Being Human. So it’s a relief that this bloodsucker is actually a donor in real life! 8 The millionth miracle One million patients have now benefited from a stem cell transplant 9 Half a century of giving When his brother contracted haemolytic anaemia, donor Barry Hyman quickly learned about the need for blood and the difference it can make to people’s lives PAGE 4 10 Do-it-yourself online We know you are busy people so we have made our booking service even easier 11 Help for dry eye patients Dry eyes are uncomfortable but sufferers are finding relief with artificial tears 12 Proud to finally be a donor How a little boy’s illness turned his parents into donors 14 WANTED: 200,000 more donors In National Blood Week this year we focused on recruiting more young blood PAGE 14 donors and welcoming back lapsed donors 16 A message from the heart In February ITV ran a campaign, ’From the Heart’, to encourage people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register. We go behind the scenes 19 Donors help in important new study The INTERVAL study aims to find out the optimum frequencies for blood donation 21 Parveen’s message Parveen Awan first gave blood after her son Faizan needed major surgery PAGE 16 23 Rare and precious Not every patient can be given blood off the shelf. That’s why people with rare Write and tell us blood groups are so valuable as donors your news, views and interesting 25 All in a good cause or unusual In 2011 our staff voted to make the Cystic Fibrosis Trust our charity partner donor stories. 26 How Sam ran back to health Write to Runner Sam Roden nearly died when pneumonia struck. But after blood The Editor, transfusions and specialist treatment he is back on the road The Donor, NHSBT, 28 Getting blood from donor to patient Colindale Avenue, Collecting blood and delivering it is a complicated business. London NW9 5BG James Hutton, regional manager for our transport operations, or email explains how it’s done thedonor@ nhsbt.nhs.uk Plus our regular News, Letters, Q&A, Ask The Doctor and Crossword

The cost of producing and printing each copy of this magazine is less than half the price of a second class stamp. Would you take an organ ifWould you needed you take one? an Nearly organ everyoneif you needed would. one? But Nearly only 27% 31%everyone of us havewould. joined But only the 27% of us haveThe joined Donor is publishedthe by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). Reproduction in whole or part is strictly forbidden without the prior Organ Donor Register. ThreeOrgan people Donor who Register. need a transplantThree people die everywho needday adue transplant to the shortage die every of dayorgans. due to the shortagepermission of organs. of NHSBT. Larger print versions are available via the website. Design and production: Ant Creative (London). Reproduction: Portland Media (London). Printed in the UK. If you believe inIf organyou believe donation, in organ prove donation, it. prove it. Register now at organdonation.nhs.ukRegister now at organdonation.nhs.uk | Text JOIN to 84880 | Text JOIN to 84880 SUMMER 2013 THE DONOR 3

22381 Donor Mag Ad A5.indd 1 22381 Donor Mag Ad A5.indd 1 18/11/2010 16:37 18/11/2010 16:37 Donor29 p02 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 09:39 Donor29 p03 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 10:26

COVER STORY “I hugely admire

Human, a blood addict giving anyone who has blood. So now I have a deal with my followers: I will re-tweet given blood. everyone that has donated blood and tweets me a photo. I know it can seem You obviously have a large fan base following Being Human; scary at first and do you feel that people can relate to the character of Hal? I don’t like needles I’m really blown away by the response of so many people either” to Hal and that’s down to Toby Whithouse and his brilliant team In Being Human, and of writers, as much as it is to (right) with Anthony Sher A p E r T ELE v ISI o N L IMITE d in Travelling Light at the myself. It has been a fantastic National Theatre part to play: a 519-year-old Touchp obsessive-compulsive vampire, Tell us about your experience who has to adapt to the real of giving blood. world (in Barry, Wales, of all I went with my girlfriend, who places) after living in relative got a bit upset, but the staff were very comforting and kind. And they are brilliant at distracting

A blood addict giving blood! you, calming you down, making Joh AN pE r SS o N you smile. And there are loads of How do you like to relax? British and Irish Lions Tour? Damien Molony is best known for his role as Hal, isolation for the past 50 years… free biscuits! My hobbies include sitting in The alarm will be set, the jersey a vampire in the BBC 3 series Being Human. my eyes lit up! Have you heard any interesting the cinema with a coffee on is pressed and ready, and the Why do you think the series stories when you have given a weekday morning, trying coffee will be on. I can’t wait So it’s a relief that this bloodsucker is actually has been so successful? blood? out new restaurants in the for the Lions Series to start a donor in real life! What Toby has done so No stories that I can remember, evenings and cooking for friends on June 1st. I think we have a spectacularly is to take real but I did spot a very famous actor and watching rugby at the great chance against Australia, Why and when did you start a lot of time with his family and human characteristics and who was giving blood the last weekends. particularly judging by the donating? when someone is that sick, every discuss their relationship to time I was at the West End donor So, will you be watching the quality of Wales and England in I am a relatively new blood hour together is a bonus. society-at-large, in a very subtle centre. the Six Nations, so it will be very donor as my first donation was What would you like to say to way, through a supernatural lens. interesting to see who makes at the end of summer 2012. those that do give blood? In that way, the ‘addict’ becomes it into coach Warren Gatland’s When I was filming the first Thank you! I hugely admire the ‘vampire’, the ‘pedant LIFE STORY squad. series of Being Human someone anyone who has given blood. I with serious anger issues’ l 1984 - Born in Dublin Finally, have you got a very close to me died. David had know it can seem scary at first becomes the werewolf, the ‘girl l 2008 - Moved to London to study at the message for other people who cancer and was losing a lot of and I don’t like needles either, terrified of crowds and public London Drama Centre currently don’t give blood? ‘Tis Pity blood. To keep him alive while but it really couldn’t be easier. I places’ becomes the ‘ghost’. l 2011 - Appeared in his first play, Whether it goes to someone in he was receiving treatment, am very grateful to my followers The premise of the show is the She’s A Whore, at the West Yorkshire an accident, whether it keeps he needed two pints of blood on Twitter who have given blood everyday lives of these people as Playhouse, directed by Jonathan Munby. someone receiving cancer a day. I was genuinely amazed or have started giving blood they strive for inclusion in normal l 2012-13 – Played Hal in the BBC 3 drama treatment alive, giving blood is that people who had never met since I started tweeting about it. society, which is something I Being Human. Since then has performed at the National a real life-saver, and it couldn’t series l David were keeping him alive I made the obvious connection think everyone strives for at some Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre. be easier. Be brave, sign up, and with their donated blood. I spent with playing a vampire in Being stage in their lives. save a life. l

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Donor29 p04&05 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:39 Donor29 p04&05 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 09:39 NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UpdateUpdate •• NewsNews UK transplant first Boost for Tissue Services Thank you for your tremendous support he UK’s first hand very day, our Tissue Services elcome to the summer 2013 issue of The year and prompt more people Ttransplant operation Eprovide skin, tendons, bone WDonor magazine. I hope you are all looking to give blood, especially those was successfully carried and other tissues to 340 UK forward to summer fi nally starting and the of you who have not donated out by a surgical team at hospitals for emergency and routine prospect of some better weather. for a while. With summer Leeds General Infirmary. operations. The service is now being In the run up to the festive season last year approaching and many people Mark Cahill (pictured right), strengthened by focusing on high we set out a campaign to recruit 100,000 going away on holiday, it’s 51, became one of just 60 quality care for donor families, donors in 100 days – and many new donors important to make sure those people around the world reinvesting finances back into the responded to the call. In fact we managed to of you who can donate at this time, remember to do so. to have received a hand NHS, accelerating new product recruit almost 120,000 donors in that time Why not book an appointment and donate now before transplant. development and making sure the and many of you have already come forward you go on holiday? If you have missed an appointment We were asked to work service is the preferred supplier of to donate, so a very big thank you from me on due to holidays or changes in routine, then you can call with the transplant team tissue and bone for the whole NHS. behalf of all the patients who will benefi t from the Donor Helpline on 0300 123 23 23 and make another to assess suitable recipients To promote the strategy, Tissue your gift. appointment. Let’s continue to save lives together. across the UK. This involved careful checking of an individual’s health Services recently held an annual With National Blood Week upon us once Lynda Hamlyn and the potential benefits to their quality of life, plus a psychological review day for staff and invited again we want to build on the success of last Chief Executive assessment to ensure potential recipients had carefully considered the implications of the procedure. l Church spreads donation word Well done everyone ! ur partnership with faith the fi rst time we have worked n the last issue of The Donor we told Stem cell donor milestone Ogroups is continuing with with the Christian Church on a Iyou about our campaign to fi nd 19-year-old blood donor studying to become a personal trainer the launch of a new campaign national initiative to promote 100,000 new donors in 100 days. Well, Ahas become the 2,200th person on the NHSBT British Bone aimed at encouraging blood and organ donation. Marrow Registry (BBMR) to donate stem cells. Henry Elliott (pictured Christians in the UK to The two-year campaign will below) travelled from his home in Melton Mowbray to London in incorporate blood and organ involve various denominations, December to donate stem cells for an unknown patient. donation into their ‘giving’ organisations and festivals, Says Henry, “I have been a blood donor for a couple of years now tissue transplant patients and the culture and see donation as a and provide resources to and it’s great to know I helped people through giving blood whilst I was family of a tissue donor to come personal gift. equip individuals in their local Fleshandblood, a churches to explore donation We need to register 100,000 new donors waiting to be a bone marrow donor. I decided to donate bone marrow along and share their stories. Simon to protect future blood stocks. partnership campaign with with their members and the Do you know anyone who could help? because it’s the right thing to do. Weston OBE (pictured above with Ask them to visit blood.co.uk/news/100k G It was a great experience and I’m Ava King who received a heart creative agency KORE, marks wider community. looking forward to the next time valve transplant) , who was at the thanks to you, we smashed that target I’m called up.” event, has reason to be grateful for on February 1st, two weeks before the For about 30 per cent of tissue transplant techniques. He New donor loyalty scheme Valentine’s Day deadline. patients a matched donor can be suffered 49 per cent burns during ou do an amazing thing awards system and how they When the 100 days were up, we had found from within their family, the Falklands War, but thanks to the Ywhen you give blood. would like their achievements registered 119,907 new blood donors, a but the other 70 per cent have skill of doctors and numerous grafts Thanks to you, thousands of to be recognised in the future. great result. This campaign has helped to to rely on a matched volunteer of his own skin, he survived. people are alive today who The result is a new Loyalty tackle the drop in new young donors last donor, identified through the He says, “Transplants really do might otherwise have died. But Programme, due to be summer. We rely on new blood donors to BBMR. Stem cells are found in give people the chance to live, not how do we say thank you in a launched in Summer 2014. keep coming forward as we need 1,000 bone marrow and donors can just exist. I would personally like to meaningful way? We decided It’s been designed by you, new registrations every day to replace be called either stem cell or bone thank the staff in Tissue Services to go around the country and for you. Keep a look out over those who can no longer donate. marrow donors. l for the work they do – it really does ask donors what they do and the coming months for more To fi nd out more about the success of make a difference.” l don’t like about our existing information. G this campaign go to pages 14-15. G

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Donor29 p06&07 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 10:02 Donor29 p06&07 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 10:05 STEM CELLS The millionth miracle One million patients around the world have to treatment of leukaemia and other life-threatening diseases. benefited from a stem cell transplant since the first By the late 1960s, as the one was performed almost 60 years ago understanding of matching patients with donors evolved, physicians he world’s one millionth and cellular therapy. were performing successful blood stem cell transplant “One million transplants is a transplants, using blood-forming T(also called a peripheral milestone that may surprise many stem cells from sibling donors. The blood stem cell or bone marrow people, because blood stem cell first were carried out in the United transplant) last December is a transplants were viewed as a rare States, Holland and France. milestone in its 56-year-long procedure until the last decade or In 1973, the first successful era of treating serious diseases. so, but important discoveries— transplant between two unrelated Patients with blood cancers like and the vital cooperation of people occurred in New York, when leukaemia and lymphoma as many scientists and physicians a young boy received a transplant well as critical diseases such as around the world—have from a donor identified as a match sickle cell disease, spinal injuries dramatically improved outcomes through a blood bank in Denmark. and Parkinson’s disease have all for patients who undergo stem In 1988, the first successful cord benefited from this treatment. cell transplantation,” says WBMT blood transplant was performed The millionth stem cell transplant president, Dietger Niederwieser. in Paris using stem cells from the was announced by the Worldwide umbilical cord of a newborn baby. Network for Blood and Marrow First stem cell transplant Transplantation (WBMT). We are The first blood stem cell transplant Selfless donors a member organisation of WMBT, was reported in 1957 by Dr. E. Since then, there has been a huge a non-profit scientific organisation Donnall Thomas. He received the rise in all types of blood stem cell promoting excellence in stem cell Nobel Prize in 1990 for pioneering transplants, most of these from transplantation, stem cell donation the use of this innovative approach unrelated donors. The reason for this? The generosity of more FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF Why stem cells are special than 20 million voluntary stem cell donors worldwide who selflessly Stem cells have several unique donate when they are called on to Half a century of giving blood properties that distinguish them from save the life of a patient somewhere In just over 50 years, Barry Hyman has made more than 150 blood donations. When his brother (the other cells: in the world. Today, unrelated photograph Barry holds) contracted haemolytic anaemia at a young age, Barry quickly learned about • They are unspecialised transplants are often as successful the need for blood and the difference it can make to people’s lives. • They can multiply or self-renew, which as those that use family donors. “My brother was only 11 when he had his spleen removed and a transfusion. My father started means they can replenish themselves for More than 70 malignant and donating after my brother’s operation and carried on into his 80s: my brother is now a healthy long periods of time by dividing non-malignant diseases are grandfather.” • They can differentiate into specialised A stylised view currently treated as a matter Barry also persuades others to donate too. “I often talk to people about giving blood, the cells such as a nerve or heart cell. l of a stem cell of course with blood stem cell system is brilliant, the staff are wonderful and it costs you hardly anything in time and energy. MEDICAL RF.COM / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY MEDICAL RF.COM transplantation. l Now I’m on the interval study (see p19 for details) and donate every eight weeks, so I may reach FacebOOk www.facebook.com/NHSblood www.facebook.com/organdonationuk 200 donations by the time I am 80.“l TwiTTer http://twitter.com/GivebloodNHS http://twitter.com/NHSbT FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF RT Pho T og R a P hy 8 THE DONOR SUMMER 2013 SUMMER 2013 THE DONOR 9

Donor29 p08 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:51 Donor29 p09 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 09:50 DIGITAL MEDIA RESEARCH Help for dry eye patients Dry eyes are uncomfortable but sufferers are finding relief from a treatment that uses their own blood to make artificial tears

ry eye syndrome to give blood. If they are, they (DES) affects around will go along to a blood donor Dthree per cent of centre where their blood is Do-it-yourselfDo-it-yourself online people in the UK. It happens collected into a special type of when the tear glands can’t blood pack. ur online blood donor We know you are busy people so we have made form or maintain a normal This is then taken to a session system is going tear film on the surface of blood centre, where it is our booking service even easier Oself-service in July. This the eye. This film acts as a separated into red blood means you’ll be able to not only find online at work, on your mobile lubricant, enabling us to cells and serum. The serum is and book a session time that suits and at home. The success of the “The success of blink and close our eyes then diluted with saline and you, but amend it easily and quickly session searcher mobile application the session comfortably. It also keeps transferred into sterile glass wherever you are and without has resulted in more than 100,000 the cells on the surface of dropper bottles, ready to be

having to wait for confirmation. downloads since its launch, searcher mobile the eye healthy - these PHIL JUDE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY frozen. We have spoken to many of our proving that making online services application has are essential to repairing and these patients. We can prepare These little bottles are issued to donors and know that most of you ‘smarter’ results in better access for maintaining the cornea. artificial tears from their own the patient to store in their own want a service that you can access everyone. resulted in DES can result from damage blood, which is effective because freezer at home. Each day, they more than to the tear glands or neurological blood contains many of the same thaw out one bottle and apply the Better interaction problems that affect the eyelids. substances found in normal tears. eye drops as required. New developments to our software 100,000 downloads It tends to affect people over the The number of patients using mean that you will soon be able since it’s launch” age of 60, but it can affect younger Giving blood these artificial tears is growing to find a session and save a real- people. It is also more common in Unfortunately not all patients with rapidly. By the end of 2012 there time appointment booking. The quicker and more up to date service women than men. DES are suitable for artificial tears. were more than 200 patients new system is optimised for use to you, our loyal donors. We have Patients must be healthy enough receiving this treatment. l on tablets and mobiles, making listened to feedback and will be Special treatment communication and interaction as improving our mobile apps to Most people affected by DES can Prevention simple as possible. provide real-time booking, support manage the condition by using You will first need to register as for Windows Mobile and a more simple eye drops available from If you suffer from dry eyes, you may be able to ease or prevent the a blood donor online. You will then personalised mobile service. l the chemist. In more serious cases, symptoms by: be able to update your surgery may be needed. For a small • keeping your eyes and eyelids clean and protecting them from the personal information Going mobile number of patients though neither environment and contact details of these options works adequately. • using your computer or laptop correctly to avoid eye strain This self-service system means you can: so that you can easily These patients can suffer from • using a humidifier to moisten the air • Register as a donor stay in control of severe pain, recurring eye infections • avoiding air conditioning or sitting directly in front of a fire • Make real-time donor session bookings your very own donor and reduced quality of vision which • eating a healthy diet that includes flaxseed oil and omega-3 fats • Change session bookings profile. By updating affects their quality of life. [ref: www.nhs.uk] From July you will have • Update personal/contact details access to a wider range your own information We have been working with If your symptoms persist, you should contact your GP for further • Receive automated confirmations of bookings of services through your instantly, we hope we ophthalmologists for many years advice. l • View your personal session history. l computer, mobile or tablet can provide a better, to provide a special treatment for

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Donor29 p10 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:49 Donor29 p11 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 09:45 PATIENT STORY

life. His face changes literally as the blood or platelets are going in, from a grey almost ghostly face to pink.” Proud to finally be a donor Kyle is now taking steroids as part of the maintenance phase of hree years ago, Simon and When their little boy needed blood to help him his treatment. He’s back at school Jane Goodfellow, both survive leukaemia, parents Simon and Jane and, with the help of his sister Lydia, T39, were part of the 96 per has been able to catch up with the cent of the eligible population realised they had to stop making excuses and work he missed. who don’t donate blood. They start donating blood themselves had never made a blood donation Close bond and the thought of needles sent a Says Simon, “Lydia has been brilliant shiver down Simon’s spine. But, in really. She was a shy little girl but October 2010, a visit to their doctor she has had to be her own person. changed everything. Now, she is more confident. She The Goodfellow family know the benefits The Goodfellow’s twins, Kyle has done well at school and helped of being a donor and a recipient and Lydia, had just started school, Kyle to keep up with her. They have but it soon became clear that Kyle got a bond. They are almost literally No more excuses those things that I have always wasn’t well. He began to get dizzy attached at the hip! ” Before Kyle’s illness, Simon and wanted to do but I had nothing that and tired and complained he did Kyle’s treatment is scheduled Jane had a list of excuses for why inspired me. It took Kyle’s diagnosis not want to go to school. At first to finish in March 2014 as long as they had never given blood: fear to spur me and Jane on.” the family thought Kyle had a there are no setbacks. However, he of needles, fainting, rejection and Simon did faint after his first virus, or was even being bullied, is still very weak and needs to be the assumed hassle of registering donation and still has a fear of but eventually they took him to monitored constantly. to become a donor. But a year after needles but he gave two whole the doctor. To Simon and Jane’s “The most likely thing to happen Kyle’s treatment began, Simon and blood donations then quickly horror, the diagnosis was Acute is that he gets an infection. A Jane decided to put their excuses to moved on to donating platelets at Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). common cold is potentially life- one side. our Stoke donor centre. Jane went “The doctor was absolutely threatening to Kyle,” says Simon. Says Simon, “It’s been one of to a nearby mobile session and has amazing and knew what it was already made four donations. straight away. It was very difficult What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia? The couple have also started to to get our heads around it. ALL has encourage their friends on social One third of all childhood cancers are leukaemia, with approximately an 85-90 per cent cure rate but we networks and their colleagues at 400 new cases in the UK each year. About 300 of these are Acute were worried about the 10-15 per work to donate. Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). cent where there is nothing they Says Simon, “To others I’d say Leukaemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. In a child with ALL, the can do,” says Simon. don’t let anything get in the way. bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes (a type of white Don’t use basic excuses like time, blood cell). These immature cells fill up the bone marrow and stop it Rare disease as you can make time. Whatever making healthy blood cells. Children with ALL have a high risk of infection ALL is very rare and survival rates we have going on in our lives we go and may also develop anaemia and bruising. are improving, but the disease still and do it. There’s nothing to worry Jane and Simon with twins Lydia and Kyle The exact cause of ALL is unknown. Chemotherapy is the main treatment killed about 60 children under 15 about, it’s not painful. for ALL alongside a combination of steroids. The aim is to destroy the in 2010. Up to one in four suffer a for a lot of that time. Kyle is very four units of whole blood and two “Thank you to everyone who leukaemia cells and enable the bone marrow to work normally again. The relapse and there are often harsh determined and never upset but platelet transfusions. Simon will contributed to Kyle’s early treatment treatment is given in several phases starting with intensive treatment, side effects from the powerful he had to endure 12 months of never forget their impact. needs. We feel like we have wasted then a period of maintaining the remission and preventing the spread of chemotherapy treatment. chemotherapy and steroids,” says “He went from being very, very years of blood and I wish it didn’t leukaemia cells into the brain and spinal cord, and finally the maintenance The first 12 months were Simon. poorly, non-responsive and out of have to take something like this to treatment which continues for up to three years. l hardest. “Jane was off work During treatment, Kyle needed it completely to coming back to start giving.” l

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Donor29 p12&13 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:45 Donor29 p12&13 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 09:45 CAMPAIGN NEWS thousand 100 new donors in 100days

NHS Blood and Transplant has warned that essential blood stocks could be at risk if new donors are not recruited. DONORS BY NUMBERS we need 100,000 new donors by february 2013 x 1,111 That’s enough people to fill 1,111 double decker buses The NHS needs 225,000 new donors every year to keep donor levels stable, but the shortfall in 2012 means that 100,000 new donors are now needed by February 2013. Wanted: Past ten years Past year Wanted: 20% 50% ONLy 4% Of those eligible The number of young donors registering has been falling steadily - 20% over the last 10 years - but this year in this country has seen a particularly sharp decline, with 50% fewer registrations amongst 17-18 year olds than in 2011. actually donate

LOL w j S 40%Young people are vital to the blood service, with 17-24 year olds accounting for around 40% of new donors each year.

blood groups - most to least common Figures for UK 2012 Which are you? B+ 8% A- B- O+ 7% AB+ 2% AB- A+ O- 3% 1% 200,000200,000 37% 35% 7% uses of blood Blood donations are a vital resource for health conditions including Last year’s campaign (clockwise from cancer and long term illnesses, accidents and maternity care. 7,000 far left): The cast of Hollyoaks; McFly’s units per day

Tom Fletcher; Birmingham Students Hospitals across England need 7,000 units of blood every day every unit donated (back left to right) Jordan Smith, Philippa saves or improves moremore donorsdonors the lives of up to 3 people Williamson and James Baldry with over a lifetime one donor can help more than 500 people In National Blood Week this year we focused Whitehall on Twitter whilst videos recipient Abdul Alim (front); Results for on recruiting more young blood donors and “We need to recruit were posted online from McFly’s the ‘100,000 donors in 100 days’ campaign; new donors, Tom Fletcher and Britain’s Got Talent Loughborough College students with welcoming back lapsed donors recipient Jonny Brackstone (left). Visit www.blood.co.uk or call us on 0300 123 23 23 in particular young fi nalists, boy band Reconnected. n National Blood Week we kept aimed to open up every aspect To our delight we reached the supply for the future. England and North Wales and up the momentum of 2012 of blood donation, the facts, the ones, to ensure a target two weeks early, but we kept “There are also lots of donors worked hard to secure media Iwhen we successfully coped figures, and the did-you-knows. healthy donor base on with the push and by the end of who do not donate regularly or coverage and to get people talking with the challenges of the Queen’s the 100th day, February 14th 2013, have donated a few times and then about blood donation on Facebook Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Challenge and blood supply for 119,907 new donors had been stopped and we’d love to welcome and Twitter. We also teamed up and Paralympic Games. The theme Registered donors often go many the future” registered. But there is still more to these people back to regularly with Paramount Pictures to ‘Help this year, “Know Blood, Give months between donations. For be done. donate.“ Save Humanity’, when the much Blood”, was all about encouraging example, of people who have 24-year-olds. During National Blood Week anticipated fi lm, World War Z, hit new and returning donors to step given blood, 72 per cent last The campaign launched on Thank you! we ran recruitment events across cinemas on June 21. G forward and give blood. We know donated more than two years ago. November 7th. We teamed up A big thank you to everyone - those there has been a 23 per cent drop in Meanwhile nine per cent of people with the cast of Hollyoaks and who signed up, who spread the Giving the gift that costs nothing active donors over the last decade. say they don’t have time to give Red or Dead designer Wayne word, our staff, the celebrities who In November last year we decided to capitalise on the Christmas spirit We want more people, especially blood. You can see the challenge Hemingway, who produced limited got involved and the general public and urged people to ‘Give the Gift That Costs Nothing, Give Blood’. young people, to come forward we face, but we are confident we edition t-shirts with the slogans for their support. The result was just over 2,000 new donors signed up. and also to welcome back those can change donors’ behaviour, “Blood Brother” or “Blood Sister”. NHSBT’s Jon Latham says, Then In March we launched ‘Step Up, Sign Up, Share’, a special who want to return to donating. especially if our active donors help There was national and local media “We’re delighted with our activity week to recruit new young donors. There were events at The NHS needs 200,000 new us to spread the word. coverage plus plenty of social successful campaign work over the colleges and other venues across the country, and more than registered blood donors every We’ve been encouraged by the media activity, including a Twitter last year and we wanted this year’s 2,400 donors signed up. We encouraged our new donors to share year to keep donor levels stable huge success of our ‘100,000 new competition #100k100days with National Blood Week to keep the their experience through their Facebook and Twitter accounts. and research shows that a lack donors in 100 days’ campaign. We specially designed t-shirts as prizes. momentum going and be bigger • Facebook: www.facebook.com/NHSBlood of knowledge about the process were concerned at falling numbers and better than ever. www.facebook.com/organdonationuk could be holding people back from of young donors and set ourselves Celebrity support “We need to recruit new donors, • Twitter: http://twitter.com/GiveBloodNHS giving blood. So this year’s National a target to find 100,000 new We had celebrity endorsements in particular young ones, to ensure http://twitter.com/NHSBT. G Blood Week (June 10th–16th) donors in 100 days, focusing on 17- from Amanda Holden and Jack a healthy donor base and blood

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Donor29 p14&15 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 10:02 Donor29 p14&15 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 10:02 ORGAN DONATION AA messagemessage fromfrom thethe heartheart ast autumn, a young man Every day, an average of three people die because called Will Pope was at the Lcentre of an ITV Tonight a donated organ cannot be found for them. In documentary focusing on the February ITV ran a campaign, ’From the Heart’, shortage of donated hearts for transplant. Viewers saw how Will’s to draw attention to the plight of patients on the failing heart had drastically changed waiting list and to encourage people to sign up to his life and how urgently he needed a transplant to survive. the Organ Donor Register. We go behind the scenes Will’s story triggered a huge response from viewers, and ITV, encouraged by Will’s family, decided Right: Alexandra Burke and her mum Melissa talk with “Viewers saw him Dermot O’Leary recovering from involved, especially the media and news programmes all supported the are. Viewers also saw for themselves the people who made it happen. And ‘From the Heart’ campaign. There the sadness faced by those families a transplant in most of all to the donor and their was also an hour-long documentary left behind when a loved one dies family to whom we will forever and an entertainment show. before an organ becomes available Harefield Hospital be indebted. We hope that the Donor families, transplant and how much pride donor families after he received campaign got people talking and recipients and individuals waiting feel in saying yes to organ donation. that eventually it will become for an organ transplant shared their the heart he so normal to be a donor.” stories and encouraged people to join Donor family’s story desperately needed” the ODR. Hospitals around the UK Diane Cole and her husband Roger More support opened their doors to TV cameras to spoke movingly about donating their to run a high-profile and inspirational Daybreak, This Morning, Loose demystify organ donation and show daughter Charlotte’s organs after she campaign to raise awareness of organ Women, regional news and national just how important organ transplants died in a riding accident. Diane says, donation and encourage people “The ITV campaign meant an awful to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Watch out for National Transplant Week lot to our family. We had amazing Register (ODR). feedback and lots of people told us they had signed up to the Organ From the Heart This year’s National Transplant Week runs from Monday July 8th to Sunday July 14th. During the week we and many other organisations that support Donor Register after hearing our ‘From the Heart’ aired in February, and organ donation and transplantation will be asking people to join the NHS family’s story. We felt happy watching Will appeared once again in a Tonight Organ Donor Register and to pass on the message to their loved ones that the piece on the TV and remembering documentary. But this time viewers “It was tough for Will being in the physical deterioration - the harsh they want to be a donor. what Charlotte has done for the saw him recovering from a transplant firstTonight Programme,” they say. reality for so many. Will was lucky You might see a famous person or two having a conversation about people who received her organs.” in Harefield Hospital after he received “We, and ITV, had expected it to and was recovering when the second organ donation. There will also be plenty of fantastic films to view, ‘From the Heart’ was also given the heart he so desperately needed. follow the journey of Will’s transplant, programme was filmed. made by people across the UK for our ‘Organ Donation Through a the celebrity treatment with Dermot Will’s parents Rosie and Philip see to raise awareness of the need for “The public response has been Lens’ film competition. O’Leary fronting an entertainment such campaigns and programmes as more organ donors. In the end the amazing with so many signing To find out more and to download campaign materials to display in show focusing on organ donation. vitally important in changing public story was very different, following up (to the Organ Donor Register) your workplace visit: www.transplantweek.co.uk l X Factor winner Alexandra Burke attitudes towards organ donation. Will waiting for a heart, and his and we are so grateful to everyone and her mum Melissa talked about

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Melissa’s continuing wait for a kidney transplant. Involving everyone in organ donation Donors help in Celebrity support In the past 12 months, more than 3,100 lives have been transformed by Celebrities also tweeted their backing deceased donors. This is thanks to the NHS hitting the target of a 50 per cent for the campaign and the popular increase in deceased organ donation set by the Organ Donation Taskforce in 2008. important new study “We need people to But there is more to do. Black and South Asian people are three times more likely to need an organ transplant than the rest of the population. The InTerval study is a groundbreaking project, donors becoming iron deficient. talk about Yet only a small number of deceased organ donors come from these However, there is currently no involving 50,000 donors, to find out the optimum organ donation, communities each year. This matters because it is easier to find tissue conclusive evidence on how matches if donor and recipient share similar ethnic backgrounds. frequencies for blood donation frequently different donors should commit to it, and To increase support for organ donation, since February we have been donate. The INTERVAL study will running a series of faith events for black and South Asian communities ailored blood donating could address this by comparing iron tell those around in London and Greater London. Venues have included Sikh gurudwaras, become a reality as cutting- levels in donors who have donated temples, mosques and black churches, with events staged around key Tedge research is currently more or less frequently. them that they religious festivals. underway to see if the length of want to donate” A summit also took place in May, bringing together representatives time between donations can be Different frequencies from several faiths. They discussed organ donation within their personalised. Donors taking part in the research hand/heart gesture became a sign of communities and what they can do to generate more support. The The current length of time are asked to give blood at different support. Meanwhile viewers took to events resulted in hundreds signing up to the Organ Donor Register. l people are advised to leave frequencies, with some men twitter in their thousands using the between donating blood is 12 donating as regularly as every eight hashtag #fromtheheart. on organ donation and to everyone weeks for men and 16 weeks for weeks and women as often as who shared their story. We need to women. But every donor is different every 12 weeks. see a revolution in the way people and some may be able to give blood Julie Taylor, 51, from Woodseats, think about organ donation as more or less frequently. recruited for the study, enrolled at Sheffield, who is a donor carer consent rates still lag behind much of Taking into account aspects or near our 25 donor centres. supervisor at the Sheffield donor Europe. We need people to talk about such as age, weight and inherited It will be a few years before results centre was the very first donor to organ donation, commit to it, and tell factors, the INTERVAL study is start to emerge but the study, which sign up to the study there. those around them that they want to looking at up to 50,000 blood is the first of its kind in the world “I hope it will make a difference donate. donors across the country to see if and being run in conjunction with for blood donors because many of “Then if they later die in blood donating can benefit from a the Universities of Cambridge and our donors at the centre have often circumstances where they could be a more personalised approach. Oxford, has the potential to shape said that they would like to give donor, there will be less of a chance the future of blood donation both blood more often but up until now that their organs will go to waste. Thousands of donors here and abroad. have not had the opportunity. I am Left: Heart transplant “If we are going to save more lives recruited An interval between blood also very keen myself to donate as recipient Will Pope. and stop three people dying every day Already 30,000 donors have been donations minimises the risk of frequently as possible due to the Above: ITV’s From the Heart in need of an organ transplant, we fact that my own father has been a presenter Dermot O’Leary want people to join the Organ Donor Want to join in? recipient which saved his life,” says The response to ‘From the Heart’ register but had forgotten or simply Register and to tell their loved ones Julie. was unprecedented. Over 146,000 wished to update their details and their wishes and to be proud at the recruitment for the InTerval study is still taking place at our 25 donor She adds, “The study is a valuable people across the UK went online to preferences. thought of potentially becoming an centres across the county. Donors who are interested in finding out and exciting opportunity to make register their wishes to become an Sally Johnson, director of organ organ donor.” more can visit www.intervalstudy.org.uk or to sign up, simply ask a the blood service the best it can be organ donor. This figure translated to donation and transplantation, To join the Organ Donor Register member of staff at your local donor centre when you next donate. To and it gives you a sense of pride to 61,900 new registrants, as many of says, “We’re very grateful to ITV for visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk or find out where your nearest donor centre is, visit www.blood.co.uk. be giving even more to the patients those responding were already on the running such a high profile campaign call 0300 123 23 23. l who need blood products.” l

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############# Platelets are vital for STAR LETTER ############# the treatment of certain A father’s thank you A Star Letter is types of blood disorders, chosen for every issue. Last Decemberespe my daughter Hannah, who has cystic fi brosis, was called in The winner will be for a bi-lateral lung transplant at Papworth Hospital. During this time you invited to a behind-the -scenes tour of a Blood fi nd yourself looking around in wonderment at Centre. He or she will the level of skill and dedication of staff and the don a white coat and technology that is available, saving the life of my see what happens to a daughter. I saw at least six units of B Rh negative donation of blood. (You blood and platelets being used for Hannah. No must be 16 or over.) doubt there were many more units that had been used when I wasn’t there. Being a blood donor I have always thought that my units would be doing some good somewhere, I never in a million years thought that I would be in a position to witness the ‘other end’ of the donation process. To go from the chair of a blood donor centre to a critical care bed and see another human life receive blood is indeed a very powerful and emotional event. As a parent of a daughter whose life has been changed, I cannot thank my fellow blood donors or NHS Blood and Transplant enough. I am privileged and honoured to even play such a small part. Thank you! Hannah was visited by her friend Hayley during her stay and we came to learn that Hayley’s mum is a blood donor nurse at the centre I attend! Some things are just meant to be you know...... ? DAVID ALLEN, BY EMAIL EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thank you for sharing your lovely story. It’s great to hear your daughter received her transplant and we hope she is doing well. The fact her friend’s mum is a donor carer…. it is a small world after all! ##################################

This is your chance to tell regularly have Matthew or Nick down and began donating again. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF us your news, views and sort out our appointments, but I was pleased that in the Queen’s interesting or unusual there have been others who have Diamond Jubilee year I reached Parveen’s message donor stories. Write to dealt sensitively in the past with our my 60th birthday and two weeks Mother-of-four Parveen Awan (pictured) first gave blood after her son Faizan (pictured) needed The Editor, The Donor, medical-related enquiries. later, made my 60th donation. The NHSBT Colindale Avenue, major surgery when he was three years old. Faizan, now 27, had kidney failure and has since SUE FRYER, BY EMAIL encouragement to drink a glass London NW9 5BG gone on to have two transplants. or email EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thanks Sue for of water before donating and to Parveen says, “It prompted me to think: ‘Where is this blood coming from and whose is it?’ I [email protected] your lovely comments. I have exercise leg and buttock muscles then started looking into it and decided to donate. My mother was worried that I was too slim to passed them on to the team, who during the donation help to prevent donate, but I told her not to worry because you get a biscuit afterwards so that will help me put Friendly voice are always happy to help. me feeling faint. on weight! My attitude is, it doesn’t affect me to give blood but for someone who needs it, they How nice to see the staff from the HEATHER YOUNG, BY EMAIL might die without that transfusion.” Back to donating Blood Donor Helpline on page 24 EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Well done on She adds that although her experience has always been very positive, “I remember at the and 25 of the Winter 2012 edition I was a blood donor some years achieving your 60 donations first blood donor session I went to, out of everyone present there was only me and one other of The Donor. My family appreciate ago, but gave up because I was in such a special year. It’s good Asian donor. That just made me realise how great the need is for more donors from the Asian that these anonymous people do always too busy rushing about to hear that drinking and community.”l a wonderful job and are probably and had felt faint a number of exercising help you. Keep up the FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF never really thanked for it. We times. More recently I slowed good work.

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Extra tests idea difficult for us to act on the results population. However we do In these days when 63 per cent of and appropriate action needs to review this position regularly. adults in the UK are overweight be taken by the doctor ordering or obese, why not provide some the tests. In the NHS the results Real life experience additional donor blood tests, once a would need to be fed back to I have been donating for 30 years year, for blood glucose, cholesterol the GP and we don’t collect GP without question of who gets my and triglycerides? I know one could addresses for the majority of blood or what it’s for. Recently I ask one’s GP to do these tests, but our donors. We would also need discovered a neighbour had cancer how many of us do? GPs to want us to do this on their and needed blood. He said that JOHN TINKLER, BY EMAIL behalf as the responsibility and without it he would have died. I’m EDITOR’S RESPONSE: We have funding for this activity in the glad that what I do can have a real considered doing this kind of NHS lies with them. Just four per impact on someone’s life. thing in the past in order to give cent of people donate blood so PHILLIP MERcY, BY EMAIL something back and encourage if we did this we would only be EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thank you for blood donation. However the providing this ‘improvement’ reminding us why giving blood details are complex. Firstly it is for a small minority of the is so important. l IS IT TRUE THAT… We reply to some of your questions about donating I went to give blood last week and www.facebook.com/organdonationuk. I keep hearing adverts and Rare and precious Qwas very pleased to try out the On Twitter you can follow us on @ Qcampaigns appealing for young new chairs as I have a back problem. GiveBloodNHS, @NHSOrganDonor and people to become blood donors. Does I am curious to know what has @NHSBT. this mean you don’t want people over roviding blood for patients Not every patient can be given blood off the shelf. happened to the old beds. I have heard in the news that the 30 giving blood any more? with rare blood groups We support the work of the Global Qgovernment is to sell off Plasma Not at all. We admire all our P(often less than one per That’s why people with rare blood groups ABlood Fund that helps with blood Resources UK Limited (PRUK). Will Adonors no matter what their age cent of the population) or patients are so valuable as donors collection, equipment and education in the blood I donate for free be sold for or how long they have been donating. whose blood contains multiple Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and South a profit? The reason we appeal for young people antibodies can be a real challenge. disorder in which the red blood our stocks at the our Frozen Blood America. We provide equipment that No it won’t! We collect blood is to make sure we replenish the donor This year we have already had a cells, which carry oxygen around Bank in Liverpool. In the case of this is no longer needed here, like the 500 Afrom voluntary donors in England base so that when people stop giving number of cases which required us the body, develop abnormally. It sickle cell patient we had frozen donor beds that we’ve replaced with and North Wales and we supply blood blood for whatever reason, we have to search for particularly rare blood is commonly seen in black and units in stock, but not enough of new donor chairs. These beds will be components (red cells, platelets and new donors coming in their place. We types and call in donors to help Asian minority ethnic (BAME) them so we searched our donor put to good use by blood transfusion frozen products) to hospitals on a appeal for young people in the hope that specific patients. One example: populations. Patients with sickle database for suitable donors. services in a number of African countries. not-for-profit basis by setting prices that they will make a lifelong commitment to Dr Rekha Anand, a consultant in cell disease need repeated blood Staff contacted those who Is there a Facebook page or recovers our costs only. donating blood. transfusion medicine, had a patient transfusions, which can cause them had a blood type that completely QTwitter feed for NHS Blood and The Department of Health has I hear radio adverts when I’m with sickle cell disease in London to produce multiple antibodies. matched that of the patient and, Transplant? I want to link it to my announced that it is seeking private Qdriving home asking for more who required ten units of fully This means they need perfectly as usual, they responded to the call. other social media accounts to let sector investment in PRUK through the people to donate. Don’t you have matched blood for an exchange matched blood to avoid triggering Dr Anand says, “We would like to people know I am a blood donor. sale of the majority or all of the shares enough blood stocked up? transfusion and another three units a potentially fatal reaction. thank the many donors who gave NHS Blood and Transplant has in the company. PRUK is a separate I’m afraid not as blood does have for planned surgery afterwards. their precious time and went out Athe largest Facebook page for any business, owned by the government, Aa limited shelf life. Red cells have “We knew that finding blood Sickle cell patient of their way to attend donation blood service in the world with almost and is not part of NHS Blood and a shelf life of 35 days and platelets can would not be easy - we could not When a request like this comes in, sessions, despite the bad weather 250,000 fans. You can follow us on Transplant. Neither the blood from only last seven days. Therefore it’s vital just pick something up from the we first try to find liquid units that during the first three months of www.facebook.com/nhsblood. We also our donors, nor the resulting blood that we manage stocks carefully to cope shelf,” she says. Sickle cell disease match the patient’s blood type, but the year. Some battled through have an account for organ donation at components, are supplied to PRUK. with demands. l is a genetically inherited blood if none are available then we search snowdrifts and attended sessions

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that they wouldn’t normally go to. ach week two young people Thanks to our donors, we managed will die as a result of cystic All in a good cause to obtain all of the blood that was Efi brosis (CF) and only half of required. We are always grateful to those with the disease are likely to In 2011 our staff voted to make all our donors for their continuing live past their 41st birthday. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust our charity partner support but we are particularly But thanks to the work of the grateful to those who go out of Cystic Fibrosis Trust and other more raised more than £11,000. staff in Birmingham and sold in aid their way to help us at short notice.” organisations and the development We have Charity Champions of the charity. of new treatments, a baby born based at all our centres around the Other fundraising events have More donors needed with CF today can expect to live country. These are members of included a nationwide Big Cake Less than four per cent of blood longer. The Trust’s ground breaking staff who promote CF Trust and are Bake, a festive fun day and a rowing donations come from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities (BAME). However, these communities are more susceptible to conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia that require regular blood transfusions. As BAME Dr Anand says rare blood communities in major cities Our staff have been donors make a vital continue to grow, we are increasing baking, making contribution in treating our efforts to recruit blood and gene therapy research is leading the at the forefront of all fundraising and recycling for the Cystic conditions such as sickle Fibrosis Trust organ donors from there. cell disease world and making encouraging efforts as they push to raise as much We have an Inclusivity Marketing progress, pointing to a brighter money as possible. challenge where staff rowed a Group (IMG) which focuses on from these communities. Members Unity Society, Ahmaddiya Muslim future for sufferers. whopping 272 miles, the distance building awareness of donation of the IMG come from various Association, Church of Latter Day Since we began our charity Innovative ideas from Newcastle to the Olympic amongst BAME communities. The departments and they work with Saints, the Sickle Cell Society and partnership, our staff have been A set of handcrafted toys was Stadium in London, on rowing IMG’s role is to direct and oversee many different organisations many more. baking, raffl ing, rowing, running amongst the innovative ideas staff machines. There were also leg the recruitment and retention of and charities such as the African and recycling to help raise as much conjured up to raise money last waxing and quiz afternoons. blood and bone marrow donors Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, Islamic Thank you to donors money as possible. In 2012 alone, year. Cars, trucks, toy catapults and As well as getting creative, our Recent cases, such as that of the donor carers, blood centre staff, a biplane piloted by brave teddy staff have signed up to a scheme sickle cell patient in London, have offi ce support workers and many bears were made by a member of called Pennies from Heaven, A call to the BAME communities highlighted the importance of where the odd pennies on people’s securing donations from BAME payslips are donated to the charity. Requests for rare blood do donors and other donors with a What is Cystic Fibrosis? Hundreds of pounds have been not come in every day, but rare blood type. These are precious raised so far from this scheme and fresh and frozen stocks need Cystic Fibrosis (CF) affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and donations that can be required by gift aiding contributions an extra to be balanced. Every donor is digestive system, by clogging them with thick sticky mucus. This makes for very sick patients on a regular 28 per cent has been added to the important to us of course, but we it hard to breathe and digest food. It is caused by a faulty gene that basis or at very short notice for total raised. do need more potential donors to controls the movement of salt and water in and out of the body’s cells. emergencies. Dr Anand says, “Time With more fundraising events come forward, particularly from CF is one of the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited diseases, and time again our donors step up planned for the rest of 2013, it is black, Asian and minority ethnic affecting around 9,000 people, and an estimated 100,000 around the to the mark. We are so grateful to hoped that the money raised will communities. If you are already world. With many CF sufferers needing life-saving lung transplants, the them and want them to know that, help bring the charity’s ultimate a rare blood donor, please keep Cystic Fibrosis Trust shares a strong connection with our transplant work. as usual, their blood has helped to goal one step closer and remove up your good work. You really do Together we both strive to increase the number of organs available for save and improve many lives – so the threat of early death posed by make a difference. l patients who are unlikely to survive without a transplant. G thank you.” l this disease. G

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Donor29 p23&24 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:51 Donor29 p25 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 10:01 PATIENT STORY HowHowHow SamSamSam ranranran backbackback tototo healthhealthhealth am Roden had always been Super-fit runner Sam Roden nearly died “Sam hopes his fit and healthy, regularly when pneumonia struck. Scompeting in triathlons and marathons. But in March last But with the help of many blood transfusions and ‘Pledge a Pint’ idea year, the 44-year-old Mancunian specialist treatment he is back on the road was suddenly struck down by will be taken up by acute pneumonia which became other patients who life-threatening. At one point his family were told he might not owe their lives to survive the night. The father-of-two had to be donated blood” put into a medically-induced coma and treated using an ECMO machine, which oxygenates blood outside the body, giving the lungs time to heal themselves. Sam spent four weeks in intensive care and needed more than 30 units of blood and blood products. Left: Sam with son Jacob to take part in an Iron Man event and, above, with both in August. A marathon task sons Joseph and Jacob Sam hopes his ‘Pledge a Pint’ Sam made a full recovery – much idea will be taken up by other to the relief of his wife Sarah and to recruit 250 more to hit a patients who owe their lives to sons Jacob, seven, and one-year- target of 500 donors. donated blood. old Joseph. He knew he wanted They are continuing the For more information or to get to do something to say thank you campaign with a 10k run in in touch with Sam, go to www. to blood donors and the team at crossed the line. May, in which Sam and Sarah are pledgeapint.co.uk or follow him Wythenshawe Hospital for saving Teaching consultant Sarah, running together, and Sam plans on Twitter - @PledgeAPint l his life. Then he had an idea. Sam was personally who set up Sam’s website and “The first thing I saw when I congratulated by Richard helped to promote his campaign Who pneu?! recovered consciousness was Branson after crossing through regional media, says, “It’s Donated blood can be used to treat pneumonia. television coverage of the 2012 the finishing line in the quite amazing to think that Sam • Pneumonia is an inflammation of the tissue in one or both of the London marathon. At that point I 2013 London Marathon ran the marathon in such a great lungs, usually due to an infection was only nine stone and couldn’t But instead of asking sponsors campaign – and he rewarded time when on that same day last • The symptoms of pneumonia can develop suddenly or may come on even lift my legs, let alone get out for cash, Sam asked them to them by completing the London year, he had only just managed to more slowly over the course of several days of bed and run a marathon, but I ‘Pledge a Pint’ and become blood Marathon in an amazing three stand up for the first time since his • The inflammation of the lungs associated with pneumonia restricts vowed to do everything I could to donors. hours and 20 minutes. Sam’s time illness.” their effectiveness and ability to oxygenate the blood get fit enough to run the 26 miles put him in the top ten per cent of So far, the Roden family have • As a result, transfusions of red cells and other blood products are in 2013. I’m a pretty determined Hundreds of pledges runners on the day and he was directly recruited more than 250 sometimes needed to treat a patient suffering from pneumonia to person, so when I set my mind to Hundreds of people signed up to personally congratulated by Virgin new blood donors through the boost their oxygen levels and aid recovery. l do something, I tend to do it!” give blood in response to Sam’s boss Richard Branson after he ‘Pledge a Pint’ campaign and aim

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Donor29 p26&27 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 10:00 Donor29 p26&27 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 10:00 MEET THE EXPERT

region covers a large area with a high population and many of Getting blood from donor to patient the inner London teaching and specialist hospitals have a high What does the transport demand for specialist products. Qteam do? Fortunately my team manage We distribute blood and blood these daily requirements leaving Aproducts in England and North me to concentrate on the strategic Wales. When people donate blood and developmental aspects of our at any of our sessions, we arrange service. I am involved in several to move the blood, all the samples projects at the moment including and all the documents to a stock a transport management system holding unit (SHU) and then on that will provide us with better to the designated manufacturing Above: James with distribution location. Our specially designed and transport staff vehicles and containers keep all Left: The vans deliver both donations at a strictly monitored blood and blood products temperature. transport use and even greater Once the blood products have operational efficiencies. been processed and tested they Working as part of a team and meeting the daily challenges that “The distribution are associated with providing the best service we can, I believe we can of planned stock Collecting blood and delivering it to where it’s all achieve the requirements of any requirements for needed is a complicated business. James Hutton, task as long as we apply sufficient regional manager for our transport operations, time, effort and will. each hospital is explains how it’s done What are blue light events and Qwhat happens? the backbone of roles such as stock realignment How does the team help Emergency blue light deliveries around the country, stores deliveries Qpatients? Aare essential deliveries our service” and movement of specialist We ensure blood donation undertaken either as a direct equipment. Ateams have suitable transport request from a hospital for a patient will then go back to the SHU where Do the transport team work to get to their sessions and deliver or when a routine order suddenly they will be stored until they are Qthroughout the night? blood products to hospitals. All becomes urgent. For these needed by hospitals. The team collect and deliver the work that we do here in the Inside the blood delivery network deliveries we are able to use blue We provide a daily delivery Ablood 24 hours a day, seven transport team contributes to lights and sirens, allowing us to service to hospitals; this covers days a week, 365 days a year. Our saving and improving patients’ Blood is processed in five centres across England: go through red lights and around the distribution of planned stock drivers work a variety of shifts lives. While our tasks may seem Colindale Filton Manchester Newcastle Sheffield traffic congestion where necessary. requirements for each hospital and across a 24-hour period. We have simple, if we fail, the impact can be The transport team operate within three regions across England and We work in partnership with is the backbone of our service. This a high demand for late evening serious. North Wales. There’s the Northern team, the Midlands and South West other emergency providers, ensures that hospitals have a robust work to collect blood at the end What is your typical day team, and the London and South East team. Transport for London and local re-supply. The routine deliveries of each blood donor session. The Qfor you? We employ 303 drivers who are responsible for collecting and authorities to ensure our blood are supported by reactive ad hoc unpredictable nature of the road As a transport operations delivering approximately 2 million units of blood products every year. supply is maintained during large deliveries to meet the changing network and other uncontrollable Aregional manager my job To do this they need 229 vehicles which, in total, travel more than 6 events in London such as the patient demands at the hospital. elements such as the weather can is varied and never predictable. million miles over the course of the year. l Olympics, as well as street parades We also undertake supporting affect our working hours. The London and South East and road closures. l

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Donor29 p28&29 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:55 Donor29 p28&29 F1.indd 3 18/06/2013 09:56 ASK THE DOCTOR CROSSWORD

Dr Gail Miflin Young people’s Complete the crossword. The initial letters of across answers spell out a four-word phrase, answers explaining the significance of June 14th. Send this phrase on a postcard or in a letter together questions donation questions with your name, address and daytime phone number to: Crossword Competition, young people The Donor, NHSBT, Charcot Road, London NW9 5BG. You could win an “Amazing” NHSBT prize. may have and will look after you on session. once the four months are up. Answers and the winner’s name will be in the next issue. All entries must be received by about blood Most people do not find donating Other common reasons people September 30th 2013. donation painful and it doesn’t take long cannot donate include feeling ACROSS to take the blood we need. unwell on the day and if they have 1 Act of cleaning (4) As a first-time donor, Remember each donation can travelled to certain places in the last 4 Rower’s Q what can I expect? potentially save three lives. six months. If you have questions implement (3) When you arrive, you’ll be asked to Is there anything I can’t about eligibility visit the website 6 OT book named read some information and fill in a Q do after donation? www.blood.co.uk or call our Donor after woman (4) donor health check questionnaire. You should feel fine and able to Helpline, see below. 8 Expresses mirth (6) You will also have a confidential resume your normal activity as What are the weight 9 West Midlands discussion with a nurse to check long as you feel well. Avoid heavy Q rules for women under town (6) you are able to donate. Next exertion for at least four hours. 20 years old? 10 Alcoholic drink (4) a drop of blood is taken from You should not give blood if you’re If you are a woman aged under 11 Meadow (3) your fingertip to check your undertaking a hazardous activity 20 and weigh less than 65kg (10st 12 Get rid of (4) haemoglobin and make sure giving that day. We advise you not drink 3lb) and are under 168cm (5’ 6”) 13 Plant (6) blood won’t make you anaemic. alcohol on the same day. in height, we need to calculate 16 Proper (6) If all is well, you should be able to Can I be a donor if I have your blood volume. You can do 18 Barrier at donate blood, about 470ml, which Q had a tattoo, piercing or this yourself at www.blood.co.uk/ entrance (4) is quickly replaced by your body. use semi-permanent make-up? giving-blood/faqs/ under Who 20 Sphere (3) 22 African river (4) Afterwards, you take a short rest If you’ve had any of the above can give blood? If your estimated 24 Canadian capital (6) before having refreshments, usually or any cosmetic treatments that blood volume is less than 3,500ml 25 Hoodlums (6) a drink and biscuits. involve skin piercing in the previous you might be at increased risk of 26 Tot (4) Does it hurt? Will I faint? four months you won’t be able to fainting so we ask you to wait until 27 Tree (3) Q Most people do not find give blood. But please contact us you are 20 before giving blood. l 28 Story (4) giving blood painful but it may be slightly uncomfortable. Our staff How to become a donor DOWN will make you as comfortable as • Sign up to become a blood donor at www.blood.co.uk or contact the 2 Astonish (5) possible and you can come with Donor Helpline 0300 123 23 23. 3 English artist (7) 14 Cock (7) a friend or bring along a book or • Most people can give blood. If you are generally in good health, 4 Bird (5) 15 Model representing scene (7) LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTION MP3 player so you can relax. age 17 to 65 (if it’s your first time) and weigh at least 50kg (7st 12Ib) 5 Footballer’s 17 A hundred years (7) Most people adapt quickly to you can donate. Women aged below 20 should check their eligibility punishment (3,4) 19 Domain (5) 6 Wild West show (5) donating blood and fainting (see above). 21 Bed aboard ship (5) 7 Crime against 23 Hungarian composer (5) afterwards is rare. However if you • Find your nearest session on the website or use the app for Android state (7) feel faint, drink plenty of fluids and Apple Smartphone and tablet devices – NHS Give Blood. (not alcohol), have a salty snack, • It’s best to book so please contact our Donor Helpline to book an eat normally and avoid hot rooms/ appointment. You can also walk in to sessions. WE HAVE A WINNER! showers/baths, vigorous exercise, • Once you’ve given blood, feel proud and please spread the word! Congratulations to Mrs Christine Minton from or standing for long periods. Each donation can potentially save up to three lives. Reading, Berks, who successfully answered last But I don’t like needles? • We also need people to donate platelets, to find out more visit issue’s crossword. Q No one really likes needles www.blood.co.uk/platelets. l The correct answer was: THANK YOU DONORS but our staff are very experienced

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Donor29 p30 F1.indd 2 18/06/2013 09:41 Donor29 p31 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 09:41 www.blood.co.uk Did you know around 200,000 new donors are needed every year to keep donor levels stable? Hospitals in England and North Wales need around 7,000 units of blood every day to treat patients with a range of health issues. Learn more about blood donation and sign up to be a donor.

visit blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23

Remember, you can call the Helpline to tell us if INFORMATION you have moved house or changed employers! Just call our 24 hour Donor Helpline and staff will answer your queries on all aspects DON’T FORGET information is also available on of giving blood. our website. 0300 123 23 23 www.blood.co.uk If you are not a donor, please enrol now. Fill out the coupon below, place it in an envelope and send it to NHS Blood and Transplant, FREEPOST RRZG-KUKB-EUBE, 500 North Bristol Park, Northway, Filton, Bristol BS34 7QH, or call 0300 123 23 23. Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss SURNAME

FIRST NAME DATE OF BIRTH D D / M M / Y Y ADDRESS POSTCODE DAYTIME PHONE No MOBILE EMAIL To give blood you need to be in good health, aged 17 to 65 and weigh over 7st 12lbs/50kg. I would like to join the NHS Blood Donor Register as someone who may be contacted and would be prepared to donate blood. I understand that NHS Blood & Transplant (NHSBT) or its partners may phone, write or otherwise contact me with details of local donor sessions. I agree to the NHSBT holding my personal details on their donor database and processing this information as necessary for the proper administration of the NHSBT. MO6

Donor29 p32 F1.indd 1 18/06/2013 10:32