the donor - winter 2010

NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR BLOOD DONORS WINTER 2010NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR BLOOD DONORS WINTER 2010

How donors help Bengu to cope

Change for the betterFaster, easier – the new Donor Health Check

Change for the betterFaster, easier – the new Donor Health Check

DALLAS CAMPBELL “Making a massive difference”DALLAS CAMPBELL “Making a massive difference”

Donor Helpline – 0300 123 23 23BS-Donor10-2 p01.vF1.indd 1 23/11/2010 21:44

WINTER 2010 THE DONOR 3

In this issueIn this issueCOVER STORIES

PAGE 4

PAGE 16

PAGE 26

Write and tell us your news, views and interesting

or unusual donor stories.

Write to

The Editor, The Donor, NHSBT, Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5BG

or email thedonor@

nhsbt.nhs.uk

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 permission of NHSBT. Larger print versions are available via the website. Design and production: Ant Creative (London). Reproduction: Portland Media (London). Printed by The Stationery Office on 100% recycled paper.

4 “An easy way to make a massive difference” TV Presenter Dallas Campbell made his first blood donation in front of a camera. Now he’s determined to become a dedicated donor

8 Your Digital UpdateKeep up with latest donation news on Facebook, Twitter and our websites

9 Dave’s need for speedHow Formula 4 enthusiast and platelet donor Dave Woodsworth-Dale is getting people talking about blood donation

10 Getting the message acrossWe’ve been busy finding new ways to encourage more people to sign up as potential organ donors. Here’s an update on our progress

12 Helping other people is reward enoughCuthbert Sperryn, 17, talks about how he became one of our youngest platelet donors

15 Spreading the wordHow regular blood donor, Jean Harris, is encouraging 17 to 18-year-olds to become donors through the ‘Register and Be a Lifesaver’ scheme

16 Change for the betterMaking donating as easy and safe as possible is our main priority. The new streamlined Donor Health Check is designed to do just that

20 Over to youCatch up with readers’ letters, plus health Q&As

21 A long walk of honourRyan Watt’s 630-mile walk to honour his grandmother and the donors who helped her

23 A bright future for tissue donationHow research into new tissue donation techniques is offering fresh hope to patients

26 “It felt like someone had injected life into me”How 32-year-old Bengu Shail is coping with a life-threatening illness

28 Helping patients win the battle Linda Selves is a senior liver transplant co-ordinator at the Royal Free Hospital in London. She talks about the challenges of working with transplant patients

Plus our regular News, Ask The Doctor and CrosswordPlus our regular News, Ask The Doctor and Crossword

BS-Donor10-2 p03.vF1.indd 1 23/11/2010 21:48

“I‘d definitely take anorgan if I needed one”

“The Organ Donor Register? Haven’t got round to joining.”

If you believe in organ donation, prove it.Register now at organdonation.nhs.uk | Text JOIN to 84880

Would you take an organ if you needed one? Nearly everyone would. But only 27% of us have joined the Organ Donor Register. Three people who need a transplant die every day due to the shortage of organs.

22381 Donor Mag Ad A5.indd 1 18/11/2010 16:37BS-Donor10-2 p02.vF1.indd 1 22/11/2010 13:16

organdonation.nhs.uk

http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk


“An easy way to make a massive difference”“An easy way to make a massive difference”serving blood donor called Peter Reiss who has been donating blood for an astounding 43 years! The renovations of the building look great. It’s a friendly place, and now that mood is reflected in the building. Although I will miss the temporary mobile home site just off Oxford Street where donating was a bit like being in an episode of M.A.S.H.You’ve worked as an actor, director and presenter. Which do you prefer and why?It’s one of those impossible questions. Right now, I’m completely immersed in my presenting work for the BBC which is the most interesting, creative and satisfying work I’ve done to date. Bang Goes the Theory is an utter joy to do. The sheer diversity of subject matter, the enthusiasm of the team I work with, and the reaction we get from audiences is phenomenal. It’s a cliché I know but it’s one of those jobs where you wake up every day and pinch yourself.

What do you think has been your biggest professional achievement so far?Work wise, being part of Bang Goes the Theory from the start. There are a lot of people who are very jealous. Oh, and I made it into the Guinness Book of Records for breaking the Scaletrix land speed record when I was presenting The Gadget Show. That’s got to be up there!What is behind your interest in science?I was always scared of science at school. Which was annoying, because at the same time I was always deeply curious about life, and fascinated with how the world worked. It wasn’t until later that the penny dropped and I realised you don’t have to be an academic scientist to be in love with science. My passion was ignited by programmes like Tomorrow’s World, Horizon, Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, and by brilliant writers,

l Born September 1970 in Renfrewshire,

Scotlandl 1989 - 1992 – studied Drama and English at

the University of Northampton

l 1997 – appeared in The Warp, notable for

being the longest play ever performed,

clocking in at well over 24 hours!

l 2008 - 2009 – presenter for The Gadget Show

l 2009 - 2010 – presenter for Bang Goes the Theory

l Married to Victoria, who is currently training to be a teacher. They

have two children, James, 6, and Anna, 3. l

LIFE STORYLIFE STORY

particularly Douglas Adams, whose books reflect his love of science and technology.Who decides which theories to challenge in Bang Goes the Theory?We don’t challenge theories in a debunking way. We put science to the test in order to demystify it, find out how it all works, and how it affects our lives. We’re certainly a doing show rather than a reporting show. In terms of ideas we have an amazing production team, and all four presenters have a hand in deciding what we do.Your job is clearly demanding. Do you have time for any hobbies?Any spare time is now taken up with tidying up after children. I love to cook, ski (water and snow), also cycling, camping and general outdoorsy stuff. l

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TV presenter Dallas Campbell made his first blood donation in front of a camera. Now he’s determined to become a dedicated donor

COVER STORY

“An easy way to make a massive difference”“An easy way to make a massive difference”Tell us about how you became a blood donorMy wife regularly gives blood, and I always kept meaning to do it, but somehow always found reasons to put off going. It’s only when I did a film for Bang Goes the Theory last year in which I had to make a donation, that I found out how easy (and dare I say pleasant) it was. Because of that experience I’ve made much more of an effort to get off my backside and go regularly. I think during that first donation it really dawned on me: what an easy and obvious way to make a potentially massive difference to people’s lives. Have any of your family ever needed blood?Thankfully not. But of course you never know what life’s going to throw at you. And that’s exactly the point of giving blood.Will you try to become a regular donor and will you be encouraging family and friends to donate? Absolutely. I’ve been a few times already now, and, as I said, my wife is a donor. My two kids enjoy wearing the stickers and badges, so they’re already familiar with the concept. In sticker form.Tell us about attending the opening of the refurbished West End Donor Centre in June. What was that like?Lots of fun. And lots of cake. I felt terribly honoured to be asked, especially as I was joined by a long-

4 THE DONOR WINTER 2010

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News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News

The 300th unit of cord blood issued by the NHS Cord Blood Bank has helped save the life of baby Imtiyaz

Ahmed from Bow in east London. Imtiyaz was born with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), a genetic disorder which affects the immune system.

He was given blood in May at Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was just three months old. He’s now back at home and responding well to his outpatient care.

The 100th unit of cord blood from the NHS bank was issued in August 2005 and the 200th unit in April 2008. The rise in the numbers of cord blood treatments is testament to the increasing number of mothers choosing to donate their cord blood to help others. l

Cord blood is a lifesaver for baby

As chief executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, I would like to welcome all

new and returning readers to the winter issue of The Donor magazine.

The commitment you make every time you donate is incredible, whether you have just made your first donation or your 100th – I know how much it means to everyone who has received life-saving blood transfusions over the last year.

Each winter our stock of blood for issue to hospitals reduces as colds and flu, adverse weather conditions and other priorities, such as preparations for Christmas, take their toll

Season’s Greetings and Thank You

The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) would like to use

email and text messaging when asking potential donors to provide confirmatory typing samples for patients requiring a life saving bone marrow or stem cell transplant.

If you are registered with the BBMR, we would like you to email your current landline, mobile telephone number and email address to [email protected]. Alternatively please telephone Michael Gumn on 0117 921 7628.

We can assure everyone sending us their details that the information you provide us with will be handled in strict confidence and stored in a secure location.

We will not disclose it to any third party, other than in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). Our privacy policy can be viewed at www.blood.co.uk/privacy/ l

Calling bone marrow donors

Tell us what you thinkon donor attendance. So if you are able to donate during this time then please try and do so.

As we come to the end of another year, it gives me the opportunity to thank you for the loyalty and generosity you have shown in transforming the lives of countless patients this year. Your contribution has been enormously valuable and much appreciated.

I wish you good health, joy and happiness over the festive season.Lynda HamlynChief Executive

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6 THE DONOR WINTER 2010

News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News Update • News

Lola Willis may be only four, but she knows how

important blood donors are and has managed to sign up over 50 new and returning donors whilst suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. She was diagnosed in January and needed chemotherapy and blood transfusions as part of her treatment. She calls blood donors “sweet, sweet poppets”.

Both her mother, Lucy Willis, and grandfather, Roger Sweeting, are regular blood donors and have helped Lola to put together a scrapbook about the 50 people she has persuaded

Donors in the east of England are playing an important role in research

into cardiovascular disease. The Cambridge CardioResource study, led by the University of Cambridge, recruited almost 2,500 volunteers at more than 70 donor sessions in East Anglia and Greater London earlier this year.

Cambridge researchers worked closely with us to see if it was possible to establish a large resource to study the effects of genes and lifestyle on cardiovascular disease. An additional benefit of the study is that it will help us to determine the relationship between the body’s iron reserves and anaemia.

Participating donors gave an additional small blood sample, had their height, weight and blood pressure measured and completed questionnaires on their health and lifestyle. These samples and data will be used to study the complex interplay of genetic and lifestyle factors and their association with cardiovascular disease, which causes more than one in three of all deaths in the UK. l

Helping important research

Leading by exampleDarren (Hucks) Huckerby rolled up his sleeve and

donated recently at his former football club, Norwich City FC. Darren was helping to promote the new venue and encourage local residents to follow his lead and support the monthly donor sessions held at the club.

Darren says, “Giving blood is really easy, just an hour of your time every four months. Every donation actually helps up to three people, so please do your bit to help, by becoming a blood donor at this brilliant venue.”

Darren also runs The Darren Huckerby Trust which provides support for local charities, community projects and individuals across the county of Norfolk. For more information visit www.darrenhuckerbytrust.co.uk. l

The Donor magazine is sent to every blood donor in the country. With

so many readers, it’s important we offer a magazine with a broad appeal. So we’re inviting you to tell us your views about The Donor: what you like and don’t like about it; the sort of articles that interest you; suggestions for new content, and anything else that you’d like to see changed or improved. We’ll be emailing a random sample of donors with a link to an online questionnaire, but in the meantime, do please send us your comments by email to [email protected] or write to The Editor, The Donor, NHSBT, Oak House, Reeds Crescent, Watford WD24 4QN. Please mark your correspondence “Reader Survey”. l

Tell us what you think

to become donors. Roger says, “Lola has made a plea for all friends and relatives who can, to become donors or resume donating. She has even been successful with relatives as far away as Australia.” l

Lola’s important message

BS-Donor10-2 p06&07.vF1.indd 2 22/11/2010 17:26

The British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR) would like to

use email and text messaging when asking potential donors to provide confirmatory typing samples. This is to reduce the time taken to contact donors.

If you are registered with the BBMR, we would like you to email your current landline, mobile telephone number and email address to [email protected], or call Michael Gumn on 0117 921 7628

We can assure everyone sending us their details that the information you provide us with will be handled in strict confidence and stored in a secure location.

We will not disclose it to any third party, other than in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). Our privacy policy can be viewed at www.blood.co.uk/privacy/ l

Calling bone marrow donors

Leading by exampleDarren (Hucks) Huckerby rolled up his sleeve and

donated recently at his former football club, Norwich City FC. Darren was helping to promote the new venue and encourage local residents to follow his lead and support the monthly donor sessions held at the club.

Darren says, “Giving blood is really easy, just an hour of your time every four months. Every donation actually helps up to three people, so please do your bit to help, by becoming a blood donor at this brilliant venue.”

Darren also runs The Darren Huckerby Trust which provides support for local charities, community projects and individuals across the county of Norfolk. For more information visit www.darrenhuckerbytrust.co.uk lwww.darrenhuckerbytrust.co.uk

www.blood.co.uk/privacy/

http://www.blood.co.uk/privacy/

http://www.darrenhuckerbytrust.co.uk

http://www.darrenhuckerbytrust.co.uk


9WINTER 2010 THE DONOR

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFDave’s need for speed

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Dave Woodsworth-Dale, a platelet donor at the Bradford Donor Centre, spends his summer weekends setting his pulse racing by competing at some of the top UK motor racing circuits in Formula 4 competitions.

For his 50th birthday, wife Katie (above) and daughter Kirsty bought him a driving experience at Oulton Park. Dave says, “I’d done a bit of karting but those single seater cars were something else. They’re made slower for safety reasons but I just wanted to go faster!”

Working as a chief engineer in electronic design and keen on DIY, Dave decided to test his skills by building a car to compete in the Formula 4 championship. “The sudden loss of four family members came as a great shock and made me realise that I might not get to the retirement I’d been saving for - so I went for it.”

The adverts on Dave’s car are a real conversation starter in the pits. “It’s given me many opportunities to talk about blood donation; they certainly get people asking questions!” l

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THE DONOR WINTER 2010

DIGITAL MEDIA

8

Your Digital UpdateYour Digital UpdateThere are now lots of ways you can keep up

with our latest events and campaigns, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and our new websites

Last December saw the relaunch of our website www.blood.co.uk. The old

site was created in 2002 and was ready for a facelift.The revamped site is easier to read, thanks to a better page layout, whilst the new horizontal menu bar makes it quicker to navigate.

You can also choose to increase the text size and use Access Keys (keyboard short cuts) to go straight to a specific page. The website allows you to search for your nearest session, as well as enabling new donors to register with a user-friendly enrolment form.

New websitesWe have also launched four new information websites for platelets, bone marrow, cord blood and tissue donation, which highlight the range of the services we provide. You can visit these from the ’Save more lives’ box on the home page.

Facebook and Twitter form a vital part of our communications with donors and potential donors, helping us to build an online community of supporters. They are a valuable channel for you to communicate with us. We have a Facebook fan page, called NHS Organ Donation Campaign, and the official ‘Join the NHS Organ Donor

Register Group’. Both carry links to www.organdonation.nhs.uk.

Mamta Ruparelia, head of new media, says, “During the ‘Prove It’ campaign road show, we ‘tweeted’ dates and addresses to our followers before the events. In October we were tweeting about ‘Donate for

Daniel’, a week of blood and bone marrow drives in conjunction with the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) to commemorate the life of Daniel De-Gale.”

Our future plans include increasing online communication with donors and supporters

through the continued use of social media channels, such as blogs, Facebook and smartphone apps.

“We are also developing social book-marking icons for our websites to enable visitors to re-publish our content on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks,” says Mamta. “New content will continue to be published regularly on these sites to raise awareness about donation and encourage visitors to share their support of our work with their contacts.”

Transplant Week success This year’s Transplant Week saw 1074 more fans join us on Facebook. We gained 160 followers on Twitter and with every 50 tweets we reached around 6,477 people. We had support from, amongst others, celebrities Bill Bailey, Lorraine Kelly, David Lloyd and Will Carling. l

The Donor goes onlineWe are working to make greater use of email for communicating with you, so would like to collect as many donor email addresses as possible. Of course, if you prefer, we can send you information by post.

The next edition of The Donor will be available via a link in an email. If you would like to receive this link and other communications from us by email in future, please complete the online form at www.blood.co.uk/donor. You will need your donor number, printed on your donor card and session invitation letters.

We can assure everyone signing up for email updates that your information will be handled in strict confidence and stored securely. We will not disclose it to any third party, other than in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). Our privacy policy can be viewed at www.blood.co.uk/privacy/ l

TWITTer http://twitter.com/NHSBTFAceBOOk http://www.facebook.com/organdonationuk

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TWITTER http://twitter.com/NHSBTFACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/organdonationuk

The Donor goes onlineWe are working to make greater use of email for communicating with you, so would like to collect as many donor email addresses as possible. Of course, if you prefer, we can send you information by post.

The next edition of The Donor will be available via a link in an email. If you would like to receive this link and other communications from us by email in future, please complete the online form at www.blood.co.uk/donor . You will need your donor number, printed on your donor card and session invitation letters.

We can assure everyone signing up for email updates that your information will be handled in strict confidence and stored securely. We will not disclose it to any third party, other than in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). Our privacy policy can be viewed at www.blood.co.uk/privacy/ l

www.blood.co.uk/donor

www.blood.co.uk/privacy/

http://twitter.com/NHSBT

http://www.facebook.com/organdonationuk



http://www.blood.co.uk/donor

https://safe.blood.co.uk/EmailCapture/

http://www.blood.co.uk/donor


In November, we celebrated the launch of a moving new book, Thank you for life, containing letters and photographs sent to the families of organ donors by patients who have received donated organs. Public Health Minister, Anne Milton, attended the launch with Professor Andrew Burroughs, consultant physician at the Royal Free Hospital and professor of hepatology at University College London, and Linda Selves, senior transplant co-ordinator at the Royal Free Hospital, who both played key roles in compiling the book. The book has been published by the Royal College of Physicians, in collaboration with the Department of Health and ourselves will be distributed in the UK. Copies will be offered to the families of organ donors in the weeks or months following the donation. The book can be bought online through the Royal College of Physicians website. �

Thank you for life

11

Getting the message acrossGetting the message across

WINTER 2010 THE DONOR

willing to sign up to the ODR. In November, Dr Allison John,

the fi rst person ever to receive a transplant of every major organ, was honoured at the Pride of Britain Awards. The 32-year-old Cardiff University graduate is now a qualifi ed junior doctor in Wales. At the award ceremony, Allison gave special thanks to donors’ families for their generosity and that of their deceased loved ones, which ultimately saved her life. Her speech and her emotional plea for everyone to become an organ donor led to many more visits to the organ donation website. As a result an extra 500 people signed up to join the ODR.

Getting the message across

To read a letter from the Thank you for life book click the link at

www.organdonation.nhs.uk

Free cab rides were offered to people who signed up to the Organ Donor Register

But, the ODR still needs more people to sign up to it. If you feel you would like to join, please discuss your wishes with your family to ensure they are aware and prepared to consent when the time comes. �

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We’ve been busy fi nding new ways to encourage more people to sign up

as potential organ donors. Here’s an update on our progress

ORGAN DONATION

Getting the message acrossGetting the message acrossEvery day, on average, three people are dying whilst waiting for an organ

transplant. With almost 8,000 people on the waiting list, it has never been so important to discuss the issues around organ donation.

Our aim this year has been to raise awareness and encourage more people to sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). With the help of campaigns like National Transplant Week (4 – 11 July) we’re

In April 2010 we identifi ed a technical error in recording information on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). This affected those who had registered through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) driving licence application form. We wrote to around 300,000 people on the ODR to confi rm their preferences to ensure people’s wishes were correctly represented.

There were a small number of cases, 25 over the past six years, where a deceased person’s preferences may not have been correctly recorded. In each case the person was on the ODR and the family had given permission for the donation to take place, but it may not have been in line with the deceased individual’s preferences. We contacted the families affected as a matter of urgency to apologise for any distress

caused, offering additional support and counselling.An independent review was carried out by Sir

Gordon Duff to investigate what happened and look at how to avoid similar problems in future. The review, published in October, found that we had handled the issue with the appropriate level of urgency, diligence and sensitivity.

The recommendations made will help strengthen the ODR and the public’s confi dence in it as a method of recording the wishes of organ donors.

In time, we hope to operate the ODR as an interactive database that will allow registrants to check and amend their own records; this will help the ODR to be as accurate as possible as well as helping to save lives. �

NHS Organ Donor Register donor data

Anne Milton (second from right) gave her support during our National Transplant Week

to have a ‘Heart to Heart’ with their friends and family about organ donation. Our research shows that 60 per cent of us have never spoken to family or friends about organ donation. Women seem more likely than men to have discussed organ donation with family - 45 per cent compared to 33 per cent.

Hop in and sign up We also found a novel way of motivating people to sign up to the ODR – free cab rides! Back in June we organised ‘Lift for Life’, sending a special black cab around London offering free journeys to anyone

pleased to report that more than 17.5 million people are now signed

up to the register. Between April 2009 and March 2010 a record number of 3,706 transplants were carried out in the UK – fi ve per cent more than the previous year and part of a steadily

rising trend since 2000. During National Transplant

Week, we asked people in the UK

Anne Milton (second from

up to the register. Between April 2009 and March 2010 a record number of 3,706 transplants were carried out in the UK – fi ve per cent more than the previous year and part of a steadily

rising trend since 2000.

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To read a letter from the Thank you for life book click the link at www.organdonation.nhs.uk

http://www.organdonation.co.uk



Platelets are disc-shaped cell fragments in the blood which help it to clot. They are formed from large cells in the bone marrow called megakaryocytes and normally survive about ten days in the blood before they are broken down by the spleen. Their function is to stop bleeding. If you cut yourself, platelets immediately move to the injury and stick together to form a plug to stop the bleeding.

The platelets also release substances which stimulate other clotting factors in the blood. These make a firm fibrous clot in which the platelets are

embedded. A scab forms which remains in place until the wound has healed.

People with a low platelet count will bleed for a long time if injured. Spontaneous bleeding can occur in seriously ill patients with very low platelet counts, such as those with cancer or leukaemia, or patients whose bone marrow is not working. For them, platelets can be life-saving.

Platelets may be needed every day whilst the patient’s platelet count is low. They may require transfusions for several weeks. Sometimes, after

major surgery or injury, patients may need transfusions to replace platelets lost through bleeding.

Premature babies, those with a poorly functioning bone marrow or whose platelets have been destroyed by antibodies in their mother’s blood may need platelets. l

What are platelets and who needs them?

platelet donor too. “The nurse explained that I would need to have an assessment to check my veins were ok and I had to give a blood sample to measure my platelet count, as platelet donors need to have a high enough platelet count to ensure that enough platelets can be collected from each donation to make two to three adult doses.”

A few days later Cuthbert heard that he was eligible to be a platelet donor and immediately booked his first session.

“I did feel a bit nervous about giving for the first time but once in the donor centre I seemed more Cuthbert completes his Donor Health Check questionnaire

Platelets flowing in the blood.

Platelets stick together forming a plug.

Activated platelets move to the site of the wound.

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Cuthbert Sperryn, 17, talks about how he became one of our youngest platelet donorsIt was after he passed his

motorbike test that Cuthbert Sperryn, 17, began to think

about becoming a blood donor. “Of course I was told many off-putting stories from people (especially my mum) about motorbike road accidents and the appalling injuries these can cause. Although I would not let this dissuade me it did get me thinking that it was only morally right that if I was willing to accept blood from someone else, then I should also be willing to donate,” he says.

So Cuthbert visited his local donor centre in Cambridge and made his first donation. All went smoothly, and Cuthbert got a good feeling from knowing he had helped somebody. At the centre, he noticed how some people were donating with the help of special machines.

“I was really intrigued, and asked one of the nurses about it. She explained that the donors were giving platelets and that the process is different from normal donation. Donors are connected to a cell separator machine that takes blood in cycles; collected blood is spun to separate the platelets and then the remaining blood is returned to the donor. I thought it was fascinating watching the machines and it all looked really high tech.”

There and then, Cuthbert decided he’d like to become a

Helping other people is reward enough

Helping other people is reward enough

PLATELET DONOR



blood transfusion for his leukaemia. Two weeks later Roger died, but I was so grateful to the blood donors

that improved his quality of life and gave us more time together.”

Tears and laughter Jean says, “The training day was a great experience. Any feelings of trepidation were soon put to rest by the welcoming manner of the trainers. Any feelings of nervousness were soon overcome by the friendliness of the other volunteers. What initially was a bit scary soon became a positive, enjoyable and mutually supportive experience. I learnt a lot from the

Spreading the wordSpreading the wordAs a regular blood donor, Jean Harris knows how

important giving blood is. Now she is encouraging 17 to 18-year-olds to become donors through the

‘Register and Be a Lifesaver’ scheme

Jean Harris, 54, from Leeds, has been a blood donor since she was 18 and has made

84 donations. She is so committed to blood donation that she arranges regular appeals for donors at the sixth form college where she is a careers adviser. Jean has now gone further by volunteering for the ‘Register and Be a Lifesaver’ (R & B) scheme which educates young people about the benefi ts of donating blood, bone marrow, tissues and organs.

Jean read about the scheme in the Summer 2010 issue of The Donor. Run jointly by NHSBT and Anthony Nolan, R & B sends volunteers to visit schools and colleges to talk to 16 to 18-year-olds about signing up to become donors. R&B is the legacy of journalist and leukaemia sufferer Adrian Sudbury who campaigned to educate young people about the importance of donation.

Jean had followed Adrian’s story in the local press and was touched by his efforts because she had also been personally affected by the disease. She says, “As I was giving my 75th donation in March 2007, my husband Roger was receiving a

other volunteers - it was a most inspiring and a humbling day.

“Most of the volunteers had sad tales of how their lives had been touched by the need for blood, bone marrow and organ donors and yet everyone wanted to have some good come from their experience. There were tears,

but laughter too and an overwhelming sense that we could make a difference to other people’s lives.”

Training as a volunteerR & B volunteers receive full training before going out to spread the donation message. No experience is needed, just enthusiasm!

Working singly or in pairs, the volunteers’ main role is giving talks on stem cell, blood and organ donation to 16 to

18-year-olds in schools, colleges and clubs. Volunteers can team up with an experienced presenter and they will also have a mentor to help them take their fi rst steps.

The scheme is designed for 16 to 18-year-olds because 17 is the minimum age for blood donation and 18 for registering to be a bone marrow donor. Currently fewer than three per cent of blood donors are aged 17 or 18.

More training days are planned and more volunteers are needed. If you are interested, please contact Carole McAlpine at [email protected] �

84 donations. She is so committed to blood donation

scheme in the Summer 2010 . Run jointly by

but laughter too and an overwhelming sense that we could make a difference to other people’s lives.”

Training as a volunteerR & B volunteers receive full training before going out to spread the donation message. No experience is needed, just enthusiasm!

Working singly or in pairs, the volunteers’ main role is giving talks on stem cell, blood and organ donation to 16 to

18-year-olds in schools, colleges

VOLUNTEERING

Jean says the R&B training was a great experience

BS-Donor10-2 p15.vF1.indd 1 22/11/2010 12:18


Every whole blood donor gives platelets along with red cells and plasma. These platelets can be combined with those from three other donors of the same blood group to provide enough platelets to treat one patient. But platelets have a short shelf life – just five days – so we need to constantly replenish our stocks. That’s why platelet donors like Cuthbert are so valuable, because they provide two or three adult platelet doses every time they donate. l

Why platelet donors are so valuable

Cuthbert says it is relaxing being able to sit and read as he donates

14

relaxed. My details were entered into the machine and it worked out the length of my donation and how much I would give. Extra blood samples were taken to do a full blood count and also identify my unique tissue type in case I could be a special match for a patient.”

Cuthbert found donating was not hard work at all. “It’s pretty relaxing to sit and just read or listen to music. The nurses do keep an eye on you, as

sometimes the machines will need to have the settings adjusted, so you need to say something if you feel uncomfortable. You may also get tingling in your lips as there is an anti-coagulant in the packs and it takes a little time for your body to get used

to it. After 80 minutes I was done; it was quite straightforward really, once you have got through all the initial checks.”

Cuthbert has now donated around 14 units of platelets and plans to visit his local donor centre about once a month. “After the first donation the process is far more

“staff really look after you, they give

you drinks and snacks and enjoy talking to you”

So you want to be a platelet donor?To become a platelet donor you need to:• Be aged between 17 and 65 (if you have not donated before). If

you are aged between 66 and 70, you need to have given a full blood donation in the past. If you are aged over 70 then you need to have given a full donation in the last two years.

• Have a higher than average platelet count. Typically, a platelet donor would expect to give 400ml – 600ml of straw–coloured liquid (plasma) containing their platelets.

• Be blood group O, A or B (group AB patients can be given group A platelets).

• Currently we are looking to boost our recruitment of Group A and Group O donors. Group A platelets are extremely valuable as they can be given to patients with blood groups other than their own.

• Be able to attend one of our static centres at least six times a year.• You should not be taking aspirin or any of the anti-inflammatory

painkillers such as ibuprofen.• If you are interested in becoming a platelet donor, ask your donor

carer at your next session. l

fluid and time efficient. In any case the feeling that you have helped a critically ill person to recover is ample reward for the time involved.

“The donor centre staff are genuinely grateful that I keep returning and they really look after you, they give you drinks and snacks and enjoy talking to you.” l


patient may depend on it. As part of the standard donor

consent process, the welcome booklet now informs donors that blood components which are not suitable for direct patient use can be used for non-clinical purposes. These components may go for research and development and the preparation of diagnostic products,

related products that are not for clinical use. Any revenue generated will be used to improve the services we provide to donors, patients and the NHS.

We’ve tested all the changes to the DHC to be sure they are genuine improvements. A study of over 1000 donors compared the new DHC and the old DHC to

fi nd out which would give the most accurate answers in the quickest and easiest way. The new DHC was found to be superior and feedback from the donors was very positive (see box overleaf).

What is the DHC for?The questions are designed to fi nd out about your medical history and

“we’ve refi ned

the form to make

it easier, clearer

and quicker to fi ll

in, helping you

save time as well

as making the

welcome booklet a

lot more concise”


and so will still potentially benefi t patients. For example, donated blood is split into three components – red cells, platelets and plasma. The majority of the plasma cannot be used for patients because of the risk of vCJD transmission, but discarding it has a fi nancial and environmental cost. In future, this plasma could be made available for the commercial production of reagents and other healthcare-

Above: Completing the new DHC at the start of a sessionOpposite: The new welcome booklet is more concise


COVER STORY

Making donating as easy and safe as possible is our main priority. The new streamlined Donor Health Check

is designed to do just that

It’s incredible when you think about it. Every day thousands of you give blood

and thousands of patients will receive donated blood, safely and efficiently. The blood is there when it is needed, whether it’s for routine surgery, a medical emergency or to treat chronic illness.

The journey of this blood begins when you first read your Donor Health Check (DHC) form, one of the most critical tools for protecting patients and donors. Now we’ve refined the form to make it easier, clearer and quicker to fill in, helping you save time as well as making the welcome booklet a lot more concise.

Travel historyYou’ll spot the changes when you next fill in your DHC. Questions about your health and travel will now relate only to the period since your last donation, rather than your entire health and travel history. We have also changed the design and reduced the content of the welcome booklet leaflets so there is less to read. But please remember it is still vitally important that you treat each donation as if it were your first and read everything thoroughly and answer as accurately as possible. Your health or that of the

Change for the betterChange for the better


COVER STORY


transfused blood. Although tests for HIV, hepatitis B and C, anti-human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV 1) and other potential infections have been developed, the DHC is still crucial. That’s because not all infections make you feel unwell, and until your body has produced antibodies or enough of the virus to be detected, the tests in our labs will not reveal their presence.

This gap between exposure to an infection and the tests detecting it is known as the window period.

to help us decide whether you can become a donor, and this is now all part of the new consent process.

Fill in form at homeTo speed things up we suggest that you fi ll the DHC in at home. It will save you time at the session as you won’t need to queue up to get a DHC printed.

Another big benefi t is that at home you can fi ll in the questionnaire in comfort and more privacy. If you are unsure whether you can donate, a quick call to the donor helpline could save you a wasted journey as well. But please fi ll in your DHC no more than three days before your donation so we have the most up-

“It is crucial you answer every question honestly. If you hold back information or

are not completely truthful, you could put a patient’s life

at risk”


to-date information. We have one of the safest and

most effi cient blood services in the world. With the help of the new DHC and your continued co-operation and integrity, that will continue. �

to help us decide whether you can become a donor, and this is now all part of

To speed things up we suggest that you fi ll the

comfort and more privacy. If you are to-date information.

You can fi ll out the DHC at home before the session

The lifestyle questions pinpoint those activities that put individuals at higher risk of picking up these infections. Asking those groups of people not to give blood reduces the chance of infectious donations being given in the window period.

It is crucial you answer every question honestly. If you hold back information or are not completely truthful, you could put a patient’s life at risk. But do not worry, the DHC is always confi dential. Sometimes we need to contact your GP to get further information


lifestyle so we can assess if it will be safe to take blood from you and give it to someone else.

The questions are intended to act as a prompt so that the details can be discussed during the screening interview. This allows the screener to clarify any answers you have given, and gives you the chance to ask any questions or have anything you find unclear explained. Some of the questions are phrased in general rather than specific terms to avoid the form becoming too long.

Each question is important. We need to ask about any travel outside the UK to find out if you have an increased risk of passing on malaria or West Nile Virus with your donation. Questions about any medication and recent or imminent appointments with a healthcare professional will tell us if your health could be affected if

Sarah welcomes new Donor Health Check The new Donor Health Check and welcome booklet has certainly saved regular donor Sarah John time.

“I much preferred this welcome booklet. It is easy to understand, and I’m sure that with its ease of reference all donors will be more inclined to read it all. I think it’s good to update these forms periodically anyway to ensure people don’t rest on their laurels,” she says.

Sarah’s latest session lasted just 24 minutes, from being welcomed to finishing her donation. “All in all it was my best experience of giving blood – the whole process was slick from start to finish. I think the new welcome booklet did play a part in the speedy process, but I didn’t feel rushed and all the normal protocol with regards to identity and wellbeing were not compromised. At every stage staff were professional and appreciative of my donation. I would encourage others to donate if they are able to, as it is such an easy and worthwhile thing to do.” l


you give blood.Long-standing donors will

probably have seen many changes

to the DHC. In the last 60 years, new and deadly viruses have emerged which can be passed on through



FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFA long walk of honour Perhaps you spotted 22-year-old Ryan Watts earlier this year as he walked the 630-mile South West Coast Path. He was the one carrying a large flag bearing the message ‘Walk for blood’, to raise awareness of blood donation.

The walk, from South Haven Point in Poole to Minehead in Somerset, took Ryan about a month. Already a regular donor himself, Ryan says he was inspired by the people he met along the way, some of whom turned out to be blood donors themselves.

Ryan says it was seeing how blood transfusions helped his grandmother while she was being treated for leukaemia that made him want to spread the donation word. “Although I already give blood I wanted to do something more. Blood made such a difference to my grandmother that I felt it was important to do my walk in honour of her and the donors that gave blood to help her.” lFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

BS-Donor10-2 p21.vF1.indd 1 22/11/2010 12:25


OVER TO YOU

20

�� STAR LETTER ��

��

This is your chance to tell us your news, views and interesting or unusual donor stories. Write to The Editor, The Donor, NHSBT Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5BG or email [email protected]

Don’t be put offMy doctor prescribed me blood pressure medication when I was 65. I mentioned this to one of the staff at my next blood donation session, who said that I couldn’t donate because I may feel unwell after giving blood. After three years I decided to give blood again and have since donated twice and felt fi ne. I would urge other donors given the same information to go and try; you may be depriving the nation of your valuable blood.RAY STOCKS, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Since September 2008, blood donors on any

medication for hypertension (high blood pressure) may donate as long as they have been on that medication for at least four weeks and feel well on it. Donors wishing to check the donor selection criteria should call the Donor Helpline on 0300 123 23 23.

Spreading the donation messageI have been donating blood for more than 40 years. However, having recently experienced a brain haemorrhage, followed by aneurysm clip surgery which resulted in a small stroke, I have been told that I can no longer donate. I realise it is for my own safety and after 60+ donations I know I have done my bit. I talk to anyone I can about giving blood and my husband is determined to continue donating until he has caught up with me!D.R. WILSON, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: That’s an impressive record! Thank you for being so dedicated and for helping to recruit others now you are no longer able to donate.

Answering nephew’s questionsMy 11 year-old nephew is always asking questions and last week I took him with me when I donated blood. We were lucky to have a nurse called Barbara who seemed happy to talk to us both and answered all my nephew’s questions. It was a really lovely time and we fi lled out a compliment form to say thank you .TINA KELLY, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Our staff on session are always available to answer questions about blood donation, especially those from potential future donors!

Keep fi t – give blood!I recently made my 82nd blood

Session leads to a fi ne romanceMore than seven years ago, I attended a blood donor session in Newquay and

found myself not only donating blood but getting a boyfriend too. Sam was helping his mum, Joyce, who works for the blood service, with refreshments. We are now engaged and have two wonderful children aged one and three. Keep up the good work - I hope there have been many relationships that blossomed over a cuppa and a custard cream.LYNNE JULEFF, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: I don’t think we’ve come across any other couple who met over the tea and biscuits after giving blood. We’d like to congratulate you, and ask all our other donors, has anyone else found love or a lasting friendship whilst donating?

A Star Letter is chosen for every issue.

The winner will be invited to a behind-the -scenes tour of a Blood Centre. He or she will don a white coat and

see what happens to a donation of blood. (You

must be 16 or over.)

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: I don’t think we’ve come across any other couple who met over the tea and biscuits

BS-Donor10-2 p20&22.vF1.indd 2 22/11/2010 12:23


Behind The SceneS

A bright future for tissue donation

A bright future for tissue donation

how research into new tissue donation techniques is offering fresh hope to patients

Every year, hundreds of patients benefit from donated tissues such as

bone, skin, heart valves, corneas and tendons. Some of our most badly-injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan or Iraq will rely on these tissues for their recovery. But whilst tissue donation and transplantation have been carried out successfully for many years, exciting new research is now pointing towards new treatments and techniques that could benefit many more patients.

Exciting developmentsTissue Services, part of NHSBT, has been the UK’s major provider of tissue for transplantation since 2005 and has a team of specialists working at its purpose-built centre

in Liverpool, the largest tissue bank in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. Research and development is a key part of the service’s work, and new products and techniques are being researched and tested all the time.

Some of our specialists have teamed up with researchers at the University of York to develop a method of long-term storage of living articular cartilage, the tissue which covers the ends of bones in joints. They are looking at ways of keeping the cartilage at ultra-low temperatures for long periods until it is needed by surgeons – a living

cartilage graft will be particularly useful to younger patients as it may prevent or delay the need to perform a knee replacement. We will be the only tissue bank able to provide this service.

We are also looking at new products. Our team is currently developing tissue grafts where the donor’s cells are removed from donated tissues, leaving behind an “acellular matrix”. Once grafted, this neutralised tissue is accepted by the patient’s body where it can then grow and repair itself naturally.

The team is headed by Professor John Kearney (principal

Professor John Kearney (right) and members of the tissue services team



OVER TO YOU

22

donation and I had to smile at the suggested exercises to aid blood flow during donation - clench and unclench buttocks, open and close fingers, wiggle toes. I don’t think I’ll bother with the gym, I now get enough exercise just giving blood!VAL GANT, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: It might be surprising, but it’s a fact that squeezing and relaxing your thigh and buttock muscles during donation does help you

make a speedier donation. The contractions help your blood to flow around your body and also make it easier for you to adjust to the blood loss, reducing feelings of light-headedness.

Lie down if you likeRegarding the new donation chair (The Donor Summer 2010) I was pleased to be informed by your customer services that these chairs are fully adjustable and that those

of us that lie flat will still be able to do so. Other donors might like to be similarly reassured.JOHN BECKETT, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Recent clinical findings show that donating in a seated position helps reduce even further the small number of donors that might feel faint during their blood donation. However the new donation chair can still be reclined if donors prefer. l

IS IT TRUE THAT…

We reply to some of your questions about donating

Q A friend of mine has Raynaud’s Syndrome. In the winter he finds

his fingers get really cold and white but he is otherwise fit and well. He has been told he can’t give blood. Is that true?

ARaynaud’s is a common condition which prevents blood from

reaching the extremities of the body on exposure to the cold and slight changes in temperature. If your friend’s condition is related to an underlying auto-immune or cardio-vascular problem, then, to protect his health, he won’t be able to donate blood. If the condition is not related to one of these underlying problems (and he meets all other donor criteria) your friend should be able to donate, even if he is taking calcium channel blocker medication such as nifedipine.

QWhy don’t you have a Facebook page?

AWe do have a Facebook page for organ donation which currently

has more than 32,000 followers. On Twitter we have a corporate presence for NHSBT which includes

both organ donation and blood donation, and we have more than 1,100 followers. We are currently putting together a social media strategy which includes the possibility of Facebook and Twitter accounts for blood donation. Find us:Facebook - www.facebook.com/organdonationuk ; Twitter - www.twitter.com/NHSBT.

QWhy do I have to wait four months to give blood if I have had

acupuncture?

AIf your acupuncture was performed by a qualified NHS

healthcare professional on NHS premises, or the practitioner is registered with a statutory registered body, you can give blood without a deferral period. If you receive acupuncture elsewhere, you will need to wait four months before giving blood. Needles can pass infection from person to person, posing a risk to patients. Waiting four months means infections are more likely to be picked up during the testing process.

Q I’ve given 34 blood donations without problem but the last two

times I’ve donated I’ve started to bleed again once the plaster has gone on. What are the potential causes of this?

A Problems after giving blood are rare, but occasionally bruising or

a re-bleed may occur. The best way to prevent this is to apply pressure with three fingers over the site where the needle was inserted until all signs of bleeding have stopped. As a re-bleed has happened twice, you should mention it to staff next time you donate and they can ensure that pressure is applied correctly.

Q After visiting certain countries you are unable to donate for a

period after returning. Can you put the list up on your website?

A Comprehensive travel information is available via

our home page at www.blood.co.uk. You can also register on the website for Blood Donor Online and you will then be able to look at information relevant to you, update your personal details, make an appointment to give blood (or change an appointment) and view your donation history. l

BS-Donor10-2 p20&22.vF2.indd 4 24/11/2010 16:21


IS IT TRUE THAT…

We reply to some of your questions about donating

Q A friend of mine has Raynaud’s Syndrome. In the winter he finds

his fingers get really cold and white but he is otherwise fit and well. He has been told he can’t give blood. Is that true?

ARaynaud’s is a common condition which prevents blood from

reaching the extremities of the body on exposure to the cold and slight changes in temperature. If your friend’s condition is related to an underlying auto-immune or cardio-vascular problem, then, to protect his health, he won’t be able to donate blood. If the condition is not related to one of these underlying problems (and he meets all other donor criteria) your friend should be able to donate, even if he is taking calcium channel blocker medication such as nifedipine.

QWhy don’t you have a Facebook page?

AWe do have a Facebook page for organ donation which currently

has more than 32,000 followers. On Twitter we have a corporate presence for NHSBT which includes

both organ donation and blood donation, and we have more than 1,100 followers. We are currently putting together a social media strategy which includes the possibility of Facebook and Twitter accounts for blood donation. Find us:Facebook -

QWhy do I have to wait four months to give blood if I have had

acupuncture?

AIf your acupuncture was performed by a qualified NHS

healthcare professional on NHS premises, or the practitioner is registered with a statutory registered body, you can give blood without a deferral period. If you receive acupuncture elsewhere, you will need to wait four months before giving blood. Needles can pass infection from person to person, posing a risk to patients. Waiting four months means infections are more likely to be picked up during the testing process.

Q I’ve given 34 blood donations without problem but the last two

times I’ve donated I’ve started to bleed again once the plaster has gone on. What are the potential causes of this?

A Problems after giving blood are rare, but occasionally bruising or

a re-bleed may occur. The best way to prevent this is to apply pressure with three fingers over the site where the needle was inserted until all signs of bleeding have stopped. As a re-bleed has happened twice, you should mention it to staff next time you donate and they can ensure that pressure is applied correctly.

Q After visiting certain countries you are unable to donate for a

period after returning. Can you put the list up on your website?

A Comprehensive travel information is available via

our home page at www.blood.co.uk. You can also register on the website for Blood Donor Online and you will then be able to look at information relevant to you, update your personal details, make an appointment to give blood (or change an appointment) and view your donation history. l

www.facebook.com/organdonationukTwitter - www.twitter.com/NHSBT .

http://www.blood.co.uk


http://www.twitter.com/NHSBT .

http://www.twitter.com/NHSBT


increase in the number of tissue donors there are still shortages. “There is a need for more heart

25

cells, we are also developing the best way of preparing the amniotic membrane before adding the cells to it to make sure the graft is successful.

More donors neededRunning alongside research and development is the day to day business of supplying tissues to hospitals. Helen Gillan, Tissue Services’ head of operations, says, “The banking of tissue has changed significantly over the last few years. It is now driven more directly by the hospital demand for tissue and we manage the tissue stocks based on the requirements of surgeons. Tissue such as skin can be stored for up to five years once it has been cryopreserved (frozen) and therefore can be readily available for emergency situations. ”

Although there has been an

valves particularly for children,” says Helen. “It’s not like skin which can be used to treat anyone with severe burns; heart valves need to be size-specific. Therefore it is important to have as many heart donors as possible.” Heart valves are useful for children born with serious heart defects and adults who have damaged or diseased heart valves.

The science of tissue donation is expanding quickly and many exciting discoveries lie ahead. But much of this progress relies on people being generous enough to decide to donate tissues after their death. If this is something you would consider doing then it is easy to join the Organ Donor Register. Telephone 0300 123 23 23 or go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk. Remember to let your family know you want to be an organ donor. l

Did you know? • Tissues from just one donor

can help up to 50 people. • There are no age restrictions

for donors of skin, bone or eyes. Tendon donors must be under 45 and heart valve donors under 60.

• The first use of skin from a deceased donor as a temporary graft took place in 1881.

• The oldest tissue donor was 101, donating their corneas.

• The first reported cornea transplant took place in Moravia (now Czech Republic) in December 1905 l



investigator) and the work is performed in a purpose built tissue development laboratory. Dr Paul Rooney, research and development manager says, “We are working closely with colleagues at the University of Leeds to develop acellular blood vessels and acellular heart valves. Encouragingly, acellular heart valves, produced using Leeds’ methodology, have been implanted into human patients in Brazil with 100 per cent success rate. This is really exciting news for us.”

Bone researchCurrently, bone is taken from both living and deceased donors to help people with a whole range of mobility problems, or to replace bone that is lost through illness or injury. As part of our bone donation programme, we are working

with hospitals to collect the bone removed from people having hip replacements. The surgeon removes the femoral head (hip joint) which is then taken to the tissue bank and ground down to different sizes to fit patients.

Our scientists are now working on new forms of donated bone. “We are developing demineralised bone matrix (DBM), a powder obtained by grinding down the shafts of the femur and treating it with acid,” explains Dr Rooney. “DBM is used by surgeons to stimulate rapid bone repair in joint replacements and bone fractures. We are also producing demineralised slices of bone which are flexible and can be wrapped around a bony defect to help it heal. Surgeons are being recruited to clinically evaluate the bone.”

In the future we hope to develop new types of grafts in which we will produce tissues without cells and then add the patient’s own cells to them, making a personalised graft that will regenerate itself as part of the patient’s own body.

Equally exciting is research into new ways to help patients with extensive vision problems. As strange as it sounds, the amniotic membranes donated by women after the birth of their child is an excellent material on which to grow eye stem cells which are then grafted onto the eye. Some ophthalmic surgeons use this method because the amniotic membrane is rich in growth factors which can maintain the stem cells and help the graft to “take”.

We are working with ophthalmic surgeons at the University of Liverpool on a method of selecting stem cells from eye tissue and then increasing their numbers whilst keeping them as stem cells – we believe that the higher the number of stem cells grafted to the eye, the better the chances of success. As well as keeping the cells as stem

Pictured here: Preparing tissues is a highly skilled process and is carried out in controlled labratory conditions

Harriet’s focus on success Harriet Windebank was just nine weeks old when she had a cornea transplant. She was suffering from the genetic condition corneal dystrophy, a progressive disease that was making her vision cloudy.

Although Harriet had the condition in both eyes, surgeons only operated on the weakest eye because of the risk of rejection. The transplant was a success, but because Harriet was so young when she had the operation, her new cornea has not grown at the same rate as her eye. That means she is now short-sighted, but with glasses, manages to lead a full and normal life.

Harriet achieved excellent school grades and has successfully completed an engineering degree at Durham University.

Harriet says, “My level of vision doesn’t stop me from doing anything I want to: all the normal things like going to work, going out with friends, using a computer, sports and generally looking after myself. If I were never to receive a cornea transplant, I would still achieve everything that I wanted to, but where barriers presented themselves I would be much more reliant on others and much less independent. So I will always be grateful to my donor for improving my quality of life.” l


The science of tissue donation is expanding quickly and many exciting discoveries lie ahead. But much of this progress relies on people being generous enough to decide to donate tissues after their death. If this is something you would consider doing then it is easy to join the Organ Donor Register. Telephone 0300 123 23 23 or go to www.organdonation.nhs.uk. Remember to let your family know you want to be an organ donor. l

www.organdonation.nhs.uk.


http://www.organdonation.nhs.uk.



chemotherapy. She is not expected to need any more over the next 18 months.

Bengu says, “I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the kindness of strangers; people who I will never be able to thank, individuals who took time out of their day to do something I wanted to do, but never made the time for.

“When I receive blood, I always look up and wonder who the person was who donated. I just feel incredibly humbled and grateful. Whoever it was that donated really made the effort to save my life and every time I look at a unit of blood going through my arm, I know I’ll be in debt to them forever.”

Now Bengu has set up a Facebook group called “Give the Girl a Bone Marrow”, which aims to encourage friends and friends-of-friends to get involved and

give blood and bone marrow. The group also provides people with information on how to become a donor. Over 1,800 people from all over the world have joined the group and some have written to her personally to say that her story

has inspired them to become a blood donor. Bengu hopes to expand this group further, aiming to find another 5,000 new people to give blood.

Give something backBengu’s story shows how important blood and platelets are for patients with serious blood disorders. “I want to make sure others learn a little something from my experience so they can take things less for granted,” she says. “We can all, including me, expect other people to save our bacon when we are in dire straits, so we should be willing to give something back too.”

Bengu is looking forward to being well again and has set herself the goal of learning how to ride a bike once her treatment is over and her strength returns. None of this would be possible without the help of blood donors. l

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is a rare type of cancer that affects approximately 200 adults per year in the UK. It is a cancer of the white blood cells. ALL causes an overproduction of immature lymphocytes that fill up the bone marrow and stop it from making normal, healthy red cells and platelets. Sufferers feel tired because of their low red cell count which means less oxygen going around the body, causing dizziness and headaches. ALL occurs most frequently in children under 15. In adults it is more common between the ages of 15–25 and in people aged 45 or more. The disease is slightly more common in males than in females. l

A rare type of cancer

“It felt like someone had injected life into me”“It felt like someone had injected life into me”

BS-Donor10-2 p26&27.vF1.indd 3 22/11/2010 12:31


How 32-year-old Bengu Shail is coping with a life-threatening illness

PATIENT STORY

Until last year, life was going well for Bengu Shail. She had a flourishing career

as an associate TV producer, and, at 31, considered herself in “peak condition.” She exercised with a personal trainer, took advanced belly dancing lessons and didn’t drink, smoke or sunbathe. But suddenly her health deteriorated.

At first Bengu put it down to her hectic work schedule, but then Bengu’s mum convinced her to see someone about her pale skin, persistent headaches and fainting episodes. At her local A&E department Bengu had her blood pressure taken and an urgent blood test. Doctors saw immediately that something was seriously wrong and Bengu was given four blood transfusions the same day.

“The blood transfusion made

me feel great,” says Bengu. “It was like someone injected some life into me and my headache stopped immediately. I felt like a vampire because as soon as I realised how good it felt to receive blood, I wanted more.”

Huge shockShe stayed in hospital for over a week, waiting to find out what was wrong with her. Bengu learned she was suffering from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a form of cancer of the white blood cells. Coming from a Turkish Cypriot family with no links to cancer or any blood-related illnesses the news came as a huge shock. But there was barely time to react because treatment started almost immediately. Bengu says, “I was furious when I was told I had

leukaemia. I kept thinking ‘why me?’ What did I do in my life to be given this horrible disease?”

Many transfusionsBengu is now in the middle of a 30 month course of chemotherapy which includes spinal cord injections, plus radiotherapy to the brain and bone marrow biopsies. Over the last year, Bengu has needed blood, platelets and plasma frequently, especially following

“I just feel incredibly humbled

and grateful. Whoever it was

that donated really made the effort to

save my life ”

“It felt like someone had injected life into me”“It felt like someone had injected life into me”

BS-Donor10-2 p26&27.vF1.indd 2 22/11/2010 12:29

physicians), surgeons, dieticians, social workers, and a specialist nurse if a patient has had alcohol or drug problems in the past.

Q Are you involved in live liver donations where the person

donating the liver and the person receiving it are both alive?

A I am not directly involved, but my team has a co-ordinator

who is involved with assessing potential donors for this type of liver donation. She also arranges the various surgical teams involved when a live donation and transplant go ahead.

Q How long does a liver transplant take and how long do patients

stay in hospital?

A The surgery takes six to eight hours on average, but longer

if the patient has had previous abdominal surgery or if there are additional factors. It is a huge operation and many patients are affected by muscle wasting, abnormal clotting and other symptoms of chronic liver disease, which adds to the complexity of the surgery.

We hope to get patients home as soon as possible but this varies from nine days to much longer for patients who were quite unwell before their transplant or have unexpected complications.

Q Is the patient receiving the liver transplant given any

information about who donated it?

A Some patients wish to know a little about the donor,

particularly if they want to write a letter to the family. We would give very basic information to the patient, including age, sex, occasionally why they had died and an idea of roughly where they were from. Many of our patients write to the families to offer their condolences and their grateful thanks. They do say it’s the hardest letter they’ve ever had to write.

Q What is the best part of

your role as a transplant co-ordinator?

A It’s seeing patients after

transplantation in clinic who I know have fought a long, hard battle to regain their health, and being part of a team that enables it to happen.

Q What would you say to people to encourage them to sign up to

the Organ Donor Register?

A I’d encourage them to read a book, Thank you for life

(see link below). It’s a collection of letters, written mainly by our patients and some other transplant recipients, to the families of their donors. They are incredibly moving letters, demonstrating the difference a transplant can make to

someone’s life and how truly grateful they are for their

amazing gift of life. I hope the book encourages people to think about organ donation and opens up discussions with families and friends, as it is much

harder for relatives to make a decision about

donation at a time of intense

grief. l

Helping patients win the battle


Join the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call 0300 123 23 23 (open 24 hours) or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk



29

BS-Donor10-2 p28&29.vF2.indd 3 23/11/2010 14:25

Linda Selves is a senior liver transplant co-ordinator at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

She talks about her role and the challenges she faces working with liver transplant patients

MEET THE EXPERT

transplant course prior to taking up this post 18 years ago, and this blend of academic and clinical experience has been invaluable for what I do now.

Q What does your typical day involve?

A I don’t think that any day is typical; that’s what makes

the work so interesting. The transplant co-ordinators spend a couple of weeks working with either assessment patients or post-transplant patients and then changing over. We also work on personal projects to improve the service we provide for patients. Patients are seen by us in clinics at

the Royal Free Hospital and other hospitals. We are also all involved in teaching, both on a formal and informal basis.

Q How are people selected for a liver transplant?

A Patients must be checked to ensure they are medically

suitable for a transplant and fit enough for surgery. Timing is important - we don’t want to transplant patients when they are too well, but their risks increase as the liver disease progresses. We also take into account how long each person may be on the waiting list before a suitable liver becomes available. During their assessment patients are also seen by a huge array of specialists - anaesthetists, hepatologists (liver specialist

Helping patients win the battleHelping patients win the battle


Q Tell us about your role as a liver transplant co-ordinator

A I work with five other co-ordinators. We see liver

patients from when they are first referred to us to be considered for transplantation through to after their transplant. We arrange investigations and provide information, support and advice

to patients, families and medical colleagues. We teach patients who have received transplants how to look after their health, and discuss any other concerns they may have. One of us is always on call to organise both the teams who go out to collect the organs from the donor hospitals and also the liver transplant team here at the Royal Free Hospital.

Q What did you do before? Has it helped you in your current role?

A I’ve always been interested in transplantation. I trained

as a nurse at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge where I spent six months on the transplant ward before qualifying. I worked in intensive care for nine years, in the UK and abroad, caring for liver, kidney and heart transplant patients, as well as potential donors and their families. I completed a

“I don’t think that any day is typical;

that’s what makes the work so interesting”

Linda and the liver transplant team, based at the Royal Free Hospital

BS-Donor10-2 p28&29.vF1.indd 2 22/11/2010 12:51

Join the NHS Organ Donor Register. Call 0300 123 23 23 (open 24 hours) or visitwww.organdonation.nhs.uk





http://www.organdonation.co.uk


CROSSWORD

Complete the crossword. The letters down the first and last column spell out a phrase that will be familiar to blood donors. Send the phrase on a postcard or letter together with your name, address and daytime phone number to: Crossword Competition, The Donor, NHSBT, Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5BG. You could win an “Amazing” NHSBT prize. Answers and the winner will be in the next issue. All entries must be received by 31st January 2011.

ACROSS1 Someone who has

been canonized (5)4 Highways (5)7 Site of the Golden

Gate Bridge (3,9)8 Andy Murray’s

sport (6)9 Relating to

verse (6)10 Whirlpool (4)12 Restaurant bill (3)14 Pink wine (4)15 One of Jim

Henson’s TV characters (6)

18 Communication sending message (6)

20 Legendary (12)21 Bird’s perch (5)22 A happening (5)

DOWN1 Garden tool (5)2 Earliest stage of

childhood (7)3 Conveyance (7)4 Summary (5)5 Passageway in

church (5)6 Tales (7)11 Percussionist (7)

13 Like made-to-order tailoring (7)

14 Syncopated style of music (7)

16 Paved area (5)17 Freshwater fish (5)19 Separated (5)

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTION

WE HAVE A WINNER!Congratulations to Ms M Wardale, Seaforth, Liverpool, who correctly answered last issue’s crossword. The word we wanted was: TRANSFUSION.


BS-Donor10-2 p31.vF1.indd 1 22/11/2010 13:00


All about ironAll about ironASK THE DOCTOR

Q I know that the fingerprick test checks

my iron levels, but what is iron?‘Iron’ is often used to refer to haemoglobin, which is a molecule found in red blood cells. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and also gives blood its red colour. Haemoglobin is made by your body using iron from the food you eat, hence the name.

QDoes giving blood lower my iron levels? Could it

make me anaemic?We actually set the cut-off point

in our fingerprick test fairly high, because giving a donation of blood does reduce your haemoglobin levels. But don’t worry, if your fingerprick test is fine, your haemoglobin level won’t drop below normal after your donation.

QAt a session I was told that my iron level was

low and so I couldn’t donate, but afterwards I got a letter advising that I didn’t need to see my GP. Should I be worried?Haemoglobin levels vary from person to person. Some people have a level which is normal for them, but lower than most. Women tend to have lower haemoglobin levels than men, and levels can even be affected by the weather! We sometimes get more ‘low’ readings on hot days. Many people have a haemoglobin level which means they fall below

the cut-off where they can donate blood, yet it is enough for them to be perfectly healthy. But if a donor’s haemoglobin level appears to be below a ‘normal’ level on session, we always write to advise them on any action they need to take, so don’t worry!

Q I’m a vegetarian. Does my diet contain enough

iron for me to give blood?It should do, providing you eat a well-balanced diet. However, vegetarians and vegans may need to take supplements of vitamin B12, which is found in meat and dairy products and helps the body produce healthy red blood cells. Your GP surgery or local hospital should be able to offer advice or put you in touch with a dietician. Alternatively look at the website of the British Dietetic Association, www.bda.uk.com l

Our doctor, AjaiSingh, answerscommonquestions about iron and iron levels

Iron supplementsA healthy diet should provide all the iron you need to donate. If you are including plenty of iron-rich food in your diet and your haemoglobin levels are still a bit low, this may need to be investigated. For this reason, we don’t recommend our donors take iron supplements.

Any old iron!Most of us know red meat contains lots of iron, but there are other important sources too. And did you know that vitamin C helps your body absorb iron? So don’t forget the oranges! l

Good sources of iron are:Lean red meatLiverKidneyOily fishFortified breakfast cereals

Other sources of iron: Eggs NutsWholemeal bread Dried fruitBeans Lentils Fresh green vegetables

BS-Donor10-2 p30.vF1.indd 2 23/11/2010 20:43

Blood stocks run

at Christmas

visit blood.co.ukor call 0300 123 23 23

INFORMATION Just call our 24 hour Donor Helpline and staff will answer your queries on all aspects of giving blood.

0300 123 23 23

Remember, you can call the Helpline to tell us if you have moved house or changed employers!

DON’T FORGET information is also available on our website.

www.blood.co.uk We always need new donors. So please, if you are not a donor, fill out the coupon below, place it in an envelope and send it to NHS Blood & Transplant, FREEPOST, 75 Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 7YB, or call 0300 123 23 23 now to enrol as a donor.

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 the 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

BS-Donor10-2p32.vF1.indd 1 22/11/2010 12:56

INFORMATIONJust call our 24 hour Donor Helpline and staff will answer your queries on all aspects of giving blood.

0300 123 23 23 www.blood.co.uk

Remember, you can call the Helpline to tell us if you have moved house or changed employers!

DON’T FORGET information is also available on our website.

We always need new donors. So please, if you are not a donor, fill out the coupon below, place it in an envelope and send it to NHS Blood & Transplant, FREEPOST, 75 Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 7YB, or call 0300 123 23 23 now to enrol as a donor.

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 the 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

http://www.blood.co.uk

the donor - winter 2010

Documents

dedicated donor

new donor health checkchange

blood donation

wordhow regular blood

onethe organ donor register

blood donors winter

organ donation

unusual donor stories