NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL BLOOD SERVICE

SUMMER 2004

ONYOURBIKE, LLOYD!Leukaemia survivor Lloyd set to cycle across AustraliaONYOURBIKE, LLOYD!Leukaemia survivor Lloyd set to cycle across Australia

What happensto my blood?Lawrence follows the journey of his blood fromdonation to hospital

Suit yourselfChoosing the best timeand place to donate

What happensto my blood?Lawrence follows the journey of his blood fromdonation to hospital

Suit yourselfChoosing the best timeand place to donate

Be a bone marrow donor call the Helpline 0845 7 711 711 SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 3

NEWS FEATURE

On your bike!

Lloyd Scott is renowned forhis extreme fundraisingfeats. No challenge is too

bizarre for him if it means he canraise money for charity.

From completing the LondonMarathon in a deep-sea diving suit,to walking underwater throughLoch Ness, nothing daunts him.Now his latest challenge is to pedalover 2,000 miles across Australia –on a Victorian penny-farthing!

As well as fundraising forcharities, Lloyd is a tireless andhighly valued supporter of the NBS.He’s a familiar figure at many of ourevents, where he helps to raiseawareness about the need forblood and bone marrow donors.

Beating the oddsWhat makes Lloyd take on thesechallenges? Well, he seems to likebeating the odds. He joined the

London Fire Brigade in 1985 andtwo years later received acommendation for rescuing twochildren at a fatal fire. It was whileundergoing routine tests after-wards for toxic smoke inhalationthat Lloyd was diagnosed withChronic Myeloid Leukaemia. Abone marrow transplant becamehis only chance of survival.

Far from being daunted by hisillness, Lloyd ran his first marathon -

When Lloyd Scott wants to raise money for a good cause, he goes toextremes. Take his latest challenge – cycling across Australia on a penny-farthing. But he never forgets his debt to the blood, platelet and bone marrow donors who gave him a second chance of life

three weeks before his transplant.Then, just 11 months after thetrauma of the transplant, Lloyd ranthe London Marathon again.

"I wanted to show myself andother sufferers that there was lifeafter leukaemia, and it didn’t meanthe end," says Lloyd. "As far as I wasconcerned, blood donors, my bonemarrow donor and the medicalteam had given me a secondchance at life, and I wanted to makethe most of that. The marathon wastremendously difficult to complete,but I wanted to do it."

Australia callingLloyd, 44, who lives with his wifeCarol and three children in Essex,explains his latest challenge.

"I have been wanting to do abike ride for some time, but knew Iwould need to make it a bitdifferent. The idea of a penny-farthing seemed to fit the bill. I havedone a major fundraising event inevery continent except Australia, soit made sense to stage it there!"

The 2,600-mile ride from Perthto Sydney starts in September.Lloyd hopes to cycle up to 80 milesa day on his 1885 penny-farthing,dressed in a proper Victoriangentleman’s costume.

He says, "I am quite nervous, asthis is the longest distance I haveever undertaken. I estimate it willtake about six weeks, which is along time to be cycling."

Lloyd knows that without theblood, platelets and bone marrowdonation he received during histreatment, he wouldn’t be cyclinganywhere.

He says, "Donors gave me backmy life, but their impact is muchwider. Thanks to them, I have beenable to continue being a father, ahusband, a friend. I have also raiseda lot of funds for children andadults. Blood and bone marrowdonors are very important people."

We’d like to say a big thank you toLloyd, for all his help in promotingblood and bone marrow donation.

If you would like to sponsor LloydScott, please call the Children withLeukaemia office on 020 74040808 or go to their website atwww.leukaemia.org

Lloyd’s wheels: the Perth toSydney ride could be his greatestchallenge yet for fundraising

2 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004 Find out where to give blood visit www.blood.co.uk

WELCOME & CONTENTS

3 NEWS FEATURE Lloyd Scott prepares for his big adventure Down Under

6 HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN SOMETHING?Why we’re relying on you to ‘Give before you go’

7 A FIGHTING CHANCEGareth Thomas was devastated when he got leukaemia. Butplatelets and a stem cell transplant helped to save his life

8 THE JOURNEY OF BLOODNew donor Lawrence Nelson followed his pint around theBirmingham Blood Centre to find out what happened to it

10 BOB TWISTS AGAINBob Johnson likes to shake, rattle and roll with the best ofthem. Thanks to a hip replacement, he can rock and roll again

11 CHOOSING WHEN YOU DONATEThe new appointment system is making life easier for busydonors everywhere to give three times a year

12 OVER TO YOUCatch up with readers’ letters plus health Q&As

In this Summer issue

The journey of blood page 8 Book by phone page 11

Hello and welcome to this Summer2004 edition. There’s an extra chal-lenge facing our blood collectionteams this summer. The change tothe rules for blood donors hasmeant that for now we can’taccept donations from previously

transfused donors. The loss of such dedicated, loyaldonors has added to the pressure that holiday timesalways bring. On page 6 you’ll read about one donor’scommitment and on page 11 how we are trying tomake donating more convenient.

No, it’s not a Victorian gentleman on our front coverit’s the intrepid Lloyd Scott preparing for a new fundrais-ing event. Being faced with a life threatening illness wasa challenge he overcame and he’s been facing new chal-lenges for charity ever since.

More than 50,000 of us will have hip replacementsurgery this year. Find out how important blood anddonated bone are for these patients on page 10, and PENNY RICHARDSON – Editor

13 GOING THE EXTRA MILEA typical day for Harry Heaton, one of our NBS drivers

14 THE SECRETS OF STEM CELLSStem cell research is leading to new treatments for all kinds ofblood diseases, giving hope to many patients

15 CROSSWORDAnother challenge for you! Plus up-to-date NBS information

16 A VERY SPECIAL DELIVERYHow emergency surgery and a blood transfusion saved the lifeof Jenny Worrall after the birth of her twins

the difference this operation makes to their lives.How does your donation get from you to the hospi-

tal? NBS drivers work round the clock to make sure thatvital supplies are delivered on time. We follow one ofour drivers and learn what happens on a day in his life.

On the centre pages new donor Lawrence followsthe journey his donation takes, through testing andprocessing to the issue department.

Finally, we have some heartfelt thanks for all ourdonors from Gareth Thomas on page 7 and JennyWorrall on page 16. When Gareth needed long termtreatment and Jenny an emergency transfusion, theblood they needed was there for them.

Thank you for making sure we can help all patientswhenever they need it, and don’t forget please ’Givebefore you go’ this summer.

GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?We welcome your personal stories, questions and comments.Write to Penny Richardson, Editor, The Donor, NationalBlood Service, West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TW or emailto thedonor@nbs.nhs.uk. Or contact us via our website, www.blood.co.uk where youcan also find out more about the National Blood Service. The cost of producing, printing and posting each copy of this magazine is less than the price of a first class stamp.

NBS EDITORIAL TEAM: Ruth Greenaway, Vicky Smith, Lyndsay Stewart,Rachel Roberts and Charlotte Pearson. NBS Project Liaison Caroline Osborne.

The Donor is published by the National Blood Service. Reproduction inwhole or part is strictly forbidden without the prior permission of theNational Blood Service. Editorial consultancy, writing, subbing, art direction, design and productionKeith Hodgson and Hilary Joseph at Ant Creative (London). Reproduction – Portland Media (London). Printed by Quebecor on paperfrom sustainable forests. The National Blood Service is run by the National Blood Authority

which is a Special Health Authority within the National Health Service. NHS

The latest mini-bloodmobileto join the NBS fleet offi-

cially went into service inNorfolk on Monday, 10 May.

However, before it wentout on the road there wasthe small matter of a guestappearance on the BBC’s Blue Peter programme, timedto coincide with the cente-nary of the birth of DrCharles Drew, who set up theworld’s first blood bank inChicago back in 1936.

Blue Peter presenter, Matt Baker, was eventuallynominated to be the blooddonor as he had given blood

New bloodmobile features on Blue Peter

The Blue Peter team, Liz, Konnie and Matt, welcomed the NBS team of Vicky Spalding(left), David Smith and Jackie Barber on the show. Matt gave a donation on air. Theprogramme featured a story on the first ever blood bank

NEWS

Don’t forget the Helpline number 0845 7 711 711

NEWS

You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 4654 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004 SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 5

Hollyoaks CommunityCollege was the venue

for a new blood donor ses-sion in a storyline of theChannel 4 teen soap that wasshown on Friday 18 June. Wewere delighted to be asked tohelp with the episode.

The storyline in the popu-lar teen soap featured Sophie

We have introducedtwo new blood

tests to allow donorswho would previouslyhave had to wait sometime, to donate sooner.

Anyone travelling tothe USA and Canadabetween 1 June and 30November usually has towait for 28 days afterreturning to the UKbefore donating blood.However, a new test forWest Nile Virus meansyour blood can still betaken, unless you needan additional test, suchas for malaria. West NileVirus can be transmittedto humans via mosquitobites and is found in theinfected person’s blood.Infection in humans liv-ing in Europe is rare butincreased cases havebeen seen in the USAover the past few years.

The second test wehave introduced is foranyone who has had

Intrepid blood recipient Matt Borehamdecided to take up the challenge of the

Ocean Rowing Society Ocean Regatta inJanuary this year. Matt, from Norfolk, wastaking part in the trans-Atlantic rowing com-petition to help raise awareness of the impor-tance of giving blood.

Matt first received blood after he was runover by a bus when he was only 22 monthsold, and again during several subsequentoperations to help him walk properly again.The last of these when he was 16.

Matt was aiming to row single-handedlyacross the Atlantic in his boat, Alison May, a

We’ve been bracing ourselves for theloss of up to 55,000 donors, follow-

ing the announcement by the Secretary ofState for Health, Dr John Reid, that donorswho’ve received blood transfusions in theUK since 1 January 1980 would no longerbe able to give blood.

The decision to defer donors cameafter the announcement in December2003 of the death of a patient who hadreceived a blood transfusion from adonor who later developed vCJD.

There is no certainty that vCJD can betransmitted by blood but this case obvi-ously highlighted the possibility of apotential risk.

The deferral of these blood donors has been taken as an additional precau-tionary measure along with the other

Staff and donors at TheHeadrow Blood Donor

Centre in Leeds witnessed aunique sight on 15 June whena blood-sucking charactercame to give blood himself!

Cast members from theWest Yorkshire Playhouseproduction of Bat BoyThe Musical, including thefamous Bat Boy himself(played by American actorDeven May), took a breakfrom performing to roll uptheir sleeves for local patients.

Michael Alden, producer ofthe show, said, "We hadteamed up with the New York

Blood Centre for the off-Broadway launch of Bat BoyThe Musical in 2001, and itssuccess inspired us to link upwith the NBS in the UK."

He continued, "The musicalis all about the importance ofcommunity, and partnershipswith organisations like the NBSwork wonders in dispellingfear and inspiring people to beof service to others." If theshow’s a hit, the cast membershope for a West End transfer.

Mike Fogden CB, chair-man of the National

Blood Authority (NBA) since1998 has been re-appointedfor a further two year periodfrom this April.

The NBA was set up inApril 1993 as a Special HealthAuthority within the NHS, tomanage all blood services inEngland through the NationalBlood Service (NBS).

vCJD update

Bat Boy gives bloodfor a change

Trans Atlantic triumph for Matt

New tests

skin piercing, includingear and body piercing,tattoos, cosmetic treat-ment and acupuncture(unless done by theNHS).

The rule used to bethat you were not able togive blood for 12 monthsafter skin-piercing of any kind (including non-NHSacupuncture) but thewaiting time has nowbeen reduced to sixmonths with the help ofthe new test.

West Nile Virus and Skin Piercing

GOOD NEWSCHANGES TO RULES TRAVEL RULES & SKIN PIERCING Please read this leaflet carefullyas it might affect you givingblood.

Hollyoaks College, a new session venue!

Taking a break between takes: NBS staff standing, from left, Mark Brown, JulieHampson, Carmel Weedall, Louise Hocknull and John Shields, with Hollyoak actorsseated, from left, Connie Powney (Sophie), Matt Milburn (Joe) and Cassie Powney (Mel)

VA

SILI

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NBA Chairman re-appointed

Monday 14 June 2004was the first World

Blood Donor Day (WBDD), aworldwide celebration of vol-unteer blood donors.

It was supported in coun-tries as far afield as Australia,South Africa, Russia, Braziland China as well as the UK.

Its aim was to thank peo-ple who give blood to helpsave lives, and create a widerawareness of blood donation,as well as encouraging morepeople to become donors.

WBDD saw the firstscreening of the NBS’s newadvertisements, featuringfavourite celebrities, such as Pop Idol judge PeteWaterman, DJ John Peel andTV presenter Carol Smillie.

WBDD was also chosen toannounce that the NBS and

supermarket giant ASDAhave joined forces for an ini-tiative aimed at increasingthe number of donors, aswell as promoting the impor-tance and special value ofdonation.

This will see ASDA storestaking part in a variety ofevents, including sessions forstaff and customers, in-storeannouncements and cover-age on ASDAtv and ASDAfm,as well as the recruitment ofnew donors both inside andoutside local ASDA stores.

Clive West, ASDA Stores’Community Director, said,"As part of our commitmentto supporting local commun-ities, we’re delighted to teamup with the NBS and hopeour support will help manymore people across the UK."

Gifts to raise awareness

Visit blood.co.uk

Help us advertise the give blood message by buying from our trial range of quality gifts and productsCALL NOW ON 0845 7 711 711 FOR DETAILS

World Blood Donor Day

The Lord Mayor and LadyMayoress of Leeds joinDeven outside the centre

measures the NBS already has in place. The benefit of receiving a blood transfusion still far outweighs any possibility, however small, of con-tracting vCJD.

So far the number of donors affectedby this precaution has proved to beslightly lower than originally predicted,although this may change. Many donorscontinue to attend sessions regularly,and encourage others to do so too. Bloodstocks have remained healthy.

We are continuing to work hard toencourage more people to step forwardto give blood especially as stocks tradi-tionally dip during the summer. We wishto thank all those donors, no longer ableto donate, for their commitment to sav-ing lives over the years.

when he was 17 and still atschool. As well as showingviewers a presenter givingblood, the programme wasdesigned to highlight the his-tory of blood donation, witha few leeches on show in thestudio.

The three NBS Norwichteam members and the minibloodmobile arrived at theBBC studios in Wood Lane,West London on Tuesday 27April ready for filming.

After a rehearsal, a breakfor the rest of the show to befilmed and a dress rehearsal,it was time for the real thing.

Fortunately everything wentsmoothly during the finaltake and instead of the usualtea and biscuits Matt wasgiven Mississippi mud pie,which Liz had made earlier!

By 6pm it was time for theteam and the bloodmobile to make the long journey back to Norwich and thedonation was transportedback to Colindale in Londonfor processing.

The three NBS team mem-bers all picked up Blue Peterbadges for their efforts andthe show was broadcast onMonday 7 June 2004.

and Joe, (Connie Powney andMatt Milburn).

Sophie was keen todonate and a reluctant Joewent to the donor sessionwith her. Eventually he over-came his misgivings anddonated alongside Sophie.

Five collection team mem-bers became actors for the

day, setting up the donor ses-sion on the set of Hollyoaksand appearing as themselvesin the episode.

Some donors may haverecognised the five, picturedabove with the actors, as they can usually be seen atdonor sessions in theMerseyside area.

16’7"(5m), orange rowing boat which carriedthe NBS name and logo from bow to stern.

The race started from San Sebastian de laGomera in the Canary Islands on 20 January2004 with the finish line in Port St Charles onthe west coast of Barbados. This is a distanceof 2526 nautical miles (2907 miles/4678km).

After many mixed fortunes along the way,along with personal tragedy, Matt crossed thefinishing line 83 days after setting off from theCanary Islands. He became only the tenthperson to complete this route solo, and indoing so spread the word about the work ofthe NBS far across the Atlantic.

It’s not just summer holidays that can affect donation, so pleaseremember the following whenever you’re going away:● After some vaccinations, you may have to wait up to four

weeks before donating. So please allow for this when youbook your session.

● Don’t donate at the last minute. Try and donate at least twodays before you fly.

● If you can’t make your usual session look at BBC2 Ceefax p465,call the Donor Helpline 0845 7 711 711, or go towww.blood.co.uk for alternative venues and times.

‘Give before you go’ checklist

Become a platelet donor call 0845 7 711 711 SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 7Give before you go on holiday call 0845 7 711 711

SUMMER APPEAL RECIPIENT STORY

6 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

I’ve become a platelet donor I feelit’s even more crucial as I knowplatelets only last five days.

"I get a real buzz from donating.If you think about it – what you’redoing could be saving someone’slife. It’s so easy and it doesn’t costyou anything."

Now we don’t expect otherdonors to give up their place in thesun this summer, but your donation

really will make a vital difference tosomeone’s life. Demand for bloodnever lets up, and we cannot stressenough how much we need you tomake the effort and ‘give beforeyou go’, especially if you aretravelling to a malarial area whichmeans a six month wait to donate.

Many of you know that you cangive blood up to three times a yearand donations must usually be least

You don’t have to go to the extreme of missingyour holiday to donate, as David Kilner did. But before you take a break this summer,please remember to give blood before you go.Hospitals and patients are relying on you

Have you forgotten something?Summer can be a challenging

time for blood collectionwhen many donors’ sessions

coincide with their holidays. Evenwhen they return, donors who havevisited malarial regions in Africa,India, SE Asia and South Americawill have to wait six months beforethey can donate again.

We receive up to ten per centfewer donations each week duringthe summer, yet the demand fromhospital patients for blood andblood components is constantthroughout the year.

Stocks of red cells typically fallduring the early part of the summer,when the four bank holidays meanthat fewer sessions are held. Thereare also fewer donors availableduring the holiday season.

As so many people are unable todonate now because they’vereceived transfusions, it isextremely important for all donorsto make a special effort to giveblood to help us meet the needs ofpatients. We also need to keep upplatelet stocks, which come eitherfrom whole blood donations orplatelet donors.

Platelets are tiny cells that enableblood to clot, and prevent bruisingand bleeding. They are vital formany patients who rely on them aspart of their long term treatment. Asthey can only be used for five daysafter donation, the need for them isimmediate. Fresh supplies areessential to help patients like GarethThomas (opposite on page 7).

Dedicated donorSince he became a platelet donor inJanuary this year, David Kilner hasvisited the Sheffield donor centre atleast once a month. He knew thetrip to the Dominican Republic hisfamily were planning would meanhe’d not be able to donate for sixmonths after he returned, becausethe country is malarial.

Instead of jetting off with hisfamily, this dedicated donor stayedat home so that he could continuedonating platelets throughout thesummer. "I didn’t really mind," saysDavid. "Giving blood has alwaysbeen important to me, and now

Home alone: Dedicated DavidKilner stayed behind to donateplatelets, whilst his wife Deniseand daughter Helen went off ontheir summer holiday

weighing at least 60kg (9st7lbs)?And are you able to travel to one ofour permanent donor centres? If soyou could become a platelet donor.

Interested? For more informationask at your next session or call theDonor Helpline on 0845 7 711 711.

laboratory, but something given tome from another human being. It isa very special gift to receive."

After months of treatment andnumerous blood and platelettransfusions, Gareth spentChristmas at home. He alsoproposed to Claire, with whom helives in Surrey. The couple arelooking forward to their weddingthis July, and Gareth is slowlygetting back to work.

He says, "My mother was a blooddonor and encouraged me todonate, but I was scared of needles,so I did not. It took leukaemia for meto overcome my fear; I have beeninjected so many times now. I regretthat I didn’t donate when I could,before my illness. Blood and plateletdonors certainly allowed me toreceive the treatment I needed tofight leukaemia."

Platelet donationDuring platelet donation, yourblood is taken into a machine where the platelets are extracted.

Meanwhile the plasma, red cells,and white cells are returned to you.

Your bone marrow begins torelease more platelets even as youdonate and within a few days will have replaced those collected.

New platelet donors, usuallyblood groups O and A, are neededin most areas. Are you a blooddonor aged between 18 and 60 and

Gareth with his fiancée Claire,enjoying being back on theirbikes together

A fighting chancePlatelets can be real lifesavers. Just ask leukaemia sufferer Gareth Thomas

Gareth Thomas was prepar-ing for a charity cycle ridefrom John O’ Groats to

Land’s End, early in 2003. Then inMay, instead of feeling fighting fit,he began feeling ill. It turned outhe had Acute LymphoblasticLeukaemia.

Gareth, 34, a computer prog-rammer, says, "One minute I wastraining for a cycle ride to raisemoney for Macmillan CancerRelief. Next, I was facing cancermyself. I was young, fit and healthy;as far as I was concerned, I wasn’tsomeone who should get cancer."

Gareth began chemotherapy atthe Royal Marsden Hospital. Thisaggressive treatment kills cancercells, but also healthy red cells andplatelets, which is where blooddonors come in.

Says Gareth, "Without theplatelets I received, the treatmentsimply could not have continued."

Regaining controlBy October, thanks to chemo-therapy, the cancer was undercontrol, and there were minimalcancer cells left in Gareth’s body.Gareth’s own bone marrow wascollected and the stem cells in itwere separated from it and frozen.

Then Gareth received very highdoses of chemotherapy drugs todestroy any remaining cancer cells.His frozen stem cells were thawedand returned to him to start the jobof making new healthy blood cellsto replace those destroyed by thetoxic drugs. Again, Gareth receivedmany units of platelets and red cellsto support his own production.

He says, "I clearly rememberlooking at the first bag of platelets Ireceived and feeling amazed. It wasnot a drug, or something made in a

“It was not a drug,

or something made

in a laboratory,

but something given

to me from another

human being.

It is a very special gift

to receive."

16 weeks apart. Sometimes it ispossible, with the agreement of thesession nurse, to donate after only12 weeks. So, as long as it is morethan 12 weeks since you lastdonated you may still be able to‘give before you go’.

Forward thinking Vaccinations may mean you can’tdonate. So please plan ahead, and,if necessary, give before you getvaccinated. You can call the DonorHelpline on 0845 7 711 711 foradvice on how travel or vaccinationmay affect your ability to donate.

There’s good news for those ofyou visiting the USA and Canada

this summer. We’ve introduced atest for West Nile Virus, whichmeans you will be able to give bloodas soon as you return, provided youdon’t need any other additionaltest, such as for body piercing.

So please put ‘Give Blood’ onyour ‘to do’ list this summer. Anddo have a happy holiday!

MA

RK

SW

INFO

RD

Platelets are the "sticky" cell-likeparticles in the blood that help itto clot, and stop bleeding after acut or bruise. Anyone injured inan accident or having surgerymay receive platelets. They arealso crucial for leukaemia andsome chemotherapy patients.

Platelets can be separatedfrom whole blood donations,and put into special packs. Butsome patients, particularly thosewho need repeated transfu-sions, need matched platelets

from selected platelet donors.These specially matched

platelets are vital for patientswhose immune system couldreact and destroy the transfusedplatelets if it recognised them as‘foreign’.

Altogether these donors giveabout 10,000 matched unitseach year. Because donatedplatelets have to be used withinfive days, the timing of dona-tions can be crucial once apatient’s treatment starts.

Platelets: The sticky facts

Become a blood donor call 0845 7 711 711 SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 9You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465

YOUR UNIT OF BLOOD YOUR UNIT OF BLOOD

All the blood component bagsare passed to the issue department.Here each bag is identified by it’sdonation barcode and checkedagainst the donor’s record to makesure all the test results are clear. Iffurther tests, like those for malaria,were required this is noted on thecomputer record. The pack will beheld until the result is known.

With the final checks complete,the computer can print out theunique barcode and donor’s bloodgroup onto a label that is fixed onthe pack. This makes it traceable byboth the Birmingham Centre’sblood bank and the blood bank atthe hospital that receives the pack.

Shelf lifeBlood, arranged by its group, isstored in vast, chilled rooms.Lawrence takes a look inside one.He learns that red cells can be keptfor 35 days at between two and sixdegrees centigrade.

He looks at the room whereplatelets, that last only five days, arekept at 22 degrees centigrade.They’re on special moving shelvesto stop the sticky cells frombunching together.

Plasma is kept for up to 12months, deep-frozen, at minus 30degrees centigrade.

After storage the next stop forblood is, of course, the hospital.Watching as a delivery is prepared,Lawrence comments, "I neverknew blood went through so manyprocesses before it gets to thepatient. I think giving blood is theeasy part! I’m sure I could manageit again!"

8 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

were processed immediatelybecause of the short shelf life ofthese life-saving clotting agents.The remainder were then stored atfour degrees centigrade ready forprocessing next morning.

Arriving at the blood centreLawrence begins his tour at theprocessing laboratories where hisblood pack has joined hundreds ofothers. Our scientists started workhere at 7.00am and will continueuntil midnight.

Close monitoring In lab coat, hat and shoe covers, hewatches blood packs beingprogrammed into the computersystem. Tracing donations back todonors is vital. This is why at thesession, Lawrence’s donor healthcheck form, blood pack and the

three colour coded test tubescontaining his blood samples wereall given a unique bar code number(see picture 2 above).

It’s essential to be able to trace adonation at any part of the journey.

If a donor calls the NBS just afterdonating, saying that they’vecaught measles, that donationmust be found and taken out.

Once the blood is entered ontothe system, the processing starts.Blood is processed according to thetype of pack it’s in. Lawrence learnsthat removing the white cells(leucodepletion) reduces the risk ofcertain infections such as vCJD andalso reduces side effects in thepatient.

Some donations are leucode-pleted before the separationprocess that turns the blood intored cells, platelets, and plasma (seepicture 3). If the blood’s plateletsare needed then leucodepletionhappens after separation.

Lawrence watches as the bagsare placed in a large centrifuge. Themachine, which looks like a largespin-dryer, spins at between 4,200and 4,500 rpm separating theblood into three distinct layers.

The plasma rises to the top andthe red cells settle at the bottom.The platelets and any remaining

Ever wondered where your donation goesafter it leaves your arm? First time donorLawrence Nelson took a trip around theBirmingham Blood Centre to see exactly whathappened to his precious pint

Every year over 230,000 peo-ple decide to become blooddonors. Lawrence Nelson is

one of them. A former fire fighter,who still works for the MidlandsFire Service, Lawrence knowsdonating blood is a life-saving act.

He wants to know what happensto his precious pint, so the day afterhis first donation, he heads for theBirmingham Blood Centre to catchup with it.

The previous evening his blood,along with all the other donationsfrom the same session, was takento the blood centre in speciallyinsulated bags.

The blood packs were deliveredto the processing laboratories. Thedonors’ health check forms went tothe donor records department andthe red, yellow and purple sampletubes to the testing laboratories.

With the delivery of blood, thelab staff were handed the data stickfrom the donor session computer.This contained all that day’s donorand donation information.

Donations needed for platelets

white cells are in the middle, a layerknown as the buffy coat. Amachine then squeezes the bag,forcing the plasma out through atube at the top into a new bag. Theprocess is stopped automaticallywhen the machine detects blood

cells in the tube (see picture 4). Theprocess is then repeated, pushingthe red cells through a tube at thebottom into their bag.

Put to the testNow it’s time to look at the testinglaboratories. Lawrence sees histhree colour coded blood samplesbeing loaded into one of the fullyautomated, complex machinesthat perform about 3000 tests eachday (see picture 5).

The red tube is tested for

hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV andSyphilis. The purple is used todetermine his blood group and testfor rare blood group antibodies.The yellow tube is tested using arelatively new technology, calledNAT (Nucleic Acid AmplificationTechnology).

This detects the actual hepatitisC virus, rather than its antibody,and is also used to screen donorsfor the HTLV (Human T-CellLymphotropic Virus).

Test resultsWhen the tests are completed, theresults are fed into the computerand entered on the donor’s record.

I never knew bloodwent through somany processes

before it gets to thepatient. I think

giving blood is theeasy part!

The journey of blood

1 A relaxed Lawrence makes hisvery first donation.2 Every donation is given aunique barcode to ensure it canbe traced at every stage.3 Lawrence sees the blood packshanging up. The blood from the collection bag at the top,passes through the special filterin the middle, which removes thewhite cells, and collects in a bagat the bottom.4 Spinning in a large centrifugehas separated the blood intothree layers, plasma, plateletsand red cells. The bag is nowsqueezed in a machine and theplasma and red cells are pushedinto their own bags.5 Meanwhile, blood samplestaken at the session are beingtested for blood group, HIV,hepatitis B and C and HTLV(Human T-cell LymphotropicVirus) in fully automated, complex machines.6 A delivery arrives at the QueenElizabeth – University Hospital,Birmingham, ready for patients.

1

2

5

6

4

3

Find out where to give blood visit www.blood.co.uk SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 11Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711

HIP REPLACEMENTS APPOINTMENTS

Choosing when you donateAndrea Daniels, from

South London, is a busywoman, balancing a

demanding career in financial ser-vices with a full social life. She’salso a committed blood donor, butwas finding it difficult to make thetime to donate.

Andrea, 20, has been working asa payroll administrator for twoyears and has just started studyingfor a degree in accountancy. Sheused to donate near work inCroydon during her lunch hour, but found that waiting times weretoo unpredictable.

So Andrea decided to donatenearer her home after work, butshe still found the timing wasn’tconvenient for her.

"I have donated blood since Iwas 18, and really enjoy knowingthat I am doing something to helpothers. But I do have a very busyschedule and need to know howlong things will take, to make sure Ican fit everything in. Before thenew appointment system, this justwasn’t possible," says Andrea.

Your opinionSurveys and questionnaires seekingdonors’ opinions on the servicerevealed that, like Andrea, manypeople wanted an appointmentsystem. So we decided to makeproviding one a priority.

The NBS spent more than a year,designing and testing theappointment system and it finallywent live in February 2004.

When the appointment systemwas introduced, Andrea was quickto embrace it. "I’ve made anappointment and have got the nextone marked in my diary. I knowexactly when I am going, when I willbe seen and how long it will take. Ican organise the rest of my lifearound it. It is much more flexible."

You responded enthusiasticallytoo, booking over 36,000 appoint-ments in February. This was a greatstart, and all the hard work thatwent into setting up the systemwas clearly worthwhile. Currently,you are booking 10,000 appoint-ments a week – a huge vote of

confidence for the new system. Of course there have been one or

two issues, affecting both donorsand NBS staff. Managing anappointments system alongside awalk-in system does need carefulco-ordination.

We are listening to youYou can be sure that any concernsyou have are being carefullylistened to; a series of reviews isbeing carried out to find out howthese concerns can be ironed-out.We are confident that, with time,we can achieve this and want tothank you for your continuedsupport during these reviews.

We are trying to make it as easyas possible for you to donatequickly and conveniently – whetherby appointment or walking in.Sessions are usually busiest whenthey open or just after work. Yourlocal team can tell you their leastbusy times of the day.

Checking the session times along with the venue is easy – simply call the Donor Helpline on

The new appointment systemhas made it easier for people likeAndrea Daniels to donate

page 465. Long distance lorrydrivers tell us that being able to getthis information on the TVs in theircabs means they can donatewherever they are. All thisinformation is available to help youtake the opportunity to donate, upto three times a year.

Better serviceWe welcome all donors whetherwalk-in or by appointment, but wehope that more of you will takeadvantage of being able to use theappointment system. As take-up ofthe system grows, we also hope wecan offer you a quicker, moreconvenient service.

Certainly for Andrea, things haveimproved, "It’s a straightforward,easy-to-use system. I fill out myform at home, hand it in at thesession, and soon after I’m seen bya donor carer and can startdonating almost immediately.

"No waiting means I’ve not had to set aside extra time todonate, which means I willdefinitely donate more regularly.The appointment system meansthat blood donation fits in with mylifestyle," says Andrea.

10 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

Bob twists again!Hip replacements give a new lease of life to thousands of people every year. Rock and roller Bob Johnson is one of them. But adequate supplies of donated blood are vital for these operations

strengthening it in the long run. We can use either freeze-driedbone, or fresh bone from worn-outfemoral heads donated by peoplewho have had a hip replaced for thefirst time."

Bone given by suitable donorswho’ve had hip replacement surgeryaccounts for 60 per cent of the boneneeded for such operations. Theremainder comes from people whochoose to donate tissues, includingbone, after they have died. OurTissue Services department collectand process bone, tendons, skin andheart valves from donors. These arestored at NBS tissue banks until theyare needed.

Around 11per cent of the bloodyou donate each year is used inoperations such as hip replace-ments and knee surgery. When apatient has a hip replaced for the

first time, two or three units ofblood may be needed. If a patientneeds a hip revision – a renewal ofan existing hip replacement – theymay need four or more units. Morecomplex surgery may need up to 12.

Orthopaedic surgeons try to

minimise the need for bloodtransfusions by using techniquessuch as cell salvage. The patient’sown blood is collected duringsurgery, ‘cleaned’ and returned tothem after their operation.

Saving bloodSurgeons may also use anothertechnique for patients likely to losea lot of blood during surgery. Someof the patient’s blood is removedbefore the operation, and replacedwith fluid. This means that duringsurgery, the blood lost containsfewer red cells because of thedilution. Afterwards the patient’swhole blood can be returned tothem. These methods aren’tsuitable for every patient, so yourblood is needed by many of them.

Blood also helps patients torecover. Older patients in particularare more likely to develop anaemiafollowing surgery, and bloodtransfusions give them a boost andhelp them get up and about.

Peter Kay says to donors, "Please,keep giving, it really is vital. Thesurgery I carry out improves people’slives immeasurably. It can mean thedifference between someone beinghousebound, and them being ableto look after themselves and havean active social life. It’s incrediblysatisfying – but we couldn’t do itwithout blood donors."

For proof that orthopaedicsurgery really transforms lives, lookno further than Bob. "I always usedto jiggle my leg when I played," hesays. "Now I’ve had my operation Ican shake away to my heart’scontent again. It’s brilliant!"

Play it again Bob. A new hip hasput a spring in his step

OLL

Y B

ALL 0845 7 711 711. You can book an

appointment at the same time. Alternatively, go to our website

www.blood.co.uk and enter apostcode. The session searcher will

list the nearest session places andopening times. It even has maps tohelp you find them.

Don’t forget the sessioninformation leaflets we send youwith our invitation letters. You’vealready told us how useful they are. If you’d like leaflets for anotherarea just call the helpline on 0845 7 711 711.

You can also check local sessiontimes and places on BBC2 Ceefax

Currently, you are

booking 10,000

appointments a week

– a huge vote of

confidence for the

new system

Are you finding it hard to give blood three times a year because you’re always on the go? Our new appointment system is making lifeeasier for busy donors everywhere

Being able to shake, rattleand roll at 63 is not every-one’s goal for later life, but

it was certainly Bob Johnson’s.Since the 1950’s, Bob has playedguitar in country rock band ‘BobJohnson and the Bobcats’, and isfamous back home in Preston forhis flamboyant stage outfits.

Bob carried on rocking until fouryears ago when his left hip becameagonisingly painful. The joint hadworn away, and Bob went frombeing an active grandfather andmusician to barely able to walk.

Painkillers and anti-inflammatorydrugs partly controlled the pain, butwere no cure. Eventually in February2001 Bob went into hospital for ahip replacement.

He was given a local anaesthetic,and remained awake throughoutthe procedure.

"It was the strangest sensation,"he says. "I could hear and see thesurgeon working, but I couldn’t feela thing." During the operation Bobreceived several units of blood.

He was delighted by the results."I couldn’t believe the difference,the pain had completely gone.Before the operation I was alwaysuncomfortable, but afterwards Icould sleep again."

Donated boneAt least 50,000 hip replacementsare carried out in Britain every year.The operation involves removingthe existing hip joint and replacing itwith an artificial one. The upper partof the thighbone or femur, isremoved, and a hole is hollowedout of the pelvic bone to take thenew plastic socket. A smooth ball,which is attached to a metal shaftthat goes into the thighbone, fitsinto the socket.

Donated blood is important forthese kinds of operations, but sotoo is donated bone.

"When we replace a hip, weneed to fill the space around theartificial joint," explains consultantorthopaedic surgeon Peter Kay."Filling the space with donatedbone encourages new bone togrow around the artificial joint,

What is a hip replacement?

Pelvic bone

Smooth ball fits intonew artificial socket

Metal shaft thatgoes into femur orthighbone

Donated bone fills the space around the new joint

Base of spine

Femoral head

Register as an organ donor see www.blood.co.uk

MY LIFEHARRY HEATON – NBS DRIVER

SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 13You can host a company session call 0845 7 711 711

OVER TO YOU

Going the extra mile

Harry is one of the 218 drivers who work for theNBS. They ensure that donor

carers, blood components, bloodmo-biles, supplies, equipment and inter-nal post arrive when and where theyare needed around the country.

It’s thanks to Harry and hiscolleagues that all your donationsare collected from every session.They also make those vital deliveriesto hospitals in England and NorthWales every single day of the year.

Based at the Leeds Blood Centre,Harry has been driving for the NBS for19 years – and loves it.

"It’s very rewarding. Most drivers Iknow do above and beyond the callof duty - it’s the nature of the business

we’re in," he says. Our drivers coverabout eight million miles each year.Harry estimates he drives over 50, 000 miles a year for work, and hasvisited most of our 14 blood centres.

PatienceToday, Harry, 54, started work at7.30am. His first job is a routinedelivery to a local hospital, but a callfor an emergency delivery of blood toScarborough Hospital comes in, andHarry is asked to take it. "You need tobe patient in this job, your whole daycan change at any point - I like that,"he says, heading for the transportyard to find his vehicle.

Whilst the emergency blood orderis being put together, Harry checks

the ‘blue light’ emergency responsevehicle is in proper working order.When he first joined the NBS, vehiclechecks didn’t exist, but things havechanged since then.

"It’s your responsibility to make thedelivery. Someone could be waitingin an operating theatre right now forthis blood – and you’re no help tothem if you break down," he says.

With the checks completed, hecollects and signs for the blooddestined for the hospital from theIssue Department. He turns on thesiren and flashing blue lights, and setsoff through the heavy morning traffictowards Scarborough.

"Driving is a vocation, as well as askill," says Harry. "You’ve got to reallywant to do it, to know what you’redoing, and the consequences if youget it wrong – there could be a life atstake. I felt really proud after I’d mademy first blue light delivery."

All our drivers complete driving

We couldn’t run the blood service without drivers like Harry Heaton. He drove 50,000miles last year. Here he describes a typical dayon the road, helping to keep the NBS moving

On the road again: HarryHeaton checks what’s nexton his driving schedule

technique courses, includingdefensive driving, that teach them tomake emergency deliveries. Harrysays, "You’ve got to make thedelivery as quickly and as safely aspossible. You’ve got to keep yourdistance, make other drivers awareand let them make their move first."

The NBS supplies almost 100 unitsof blood each day in response toemergency requests.

The delivery over many miles ofwinding country roads takes just overan hour. After signing the deliveryrecord at Scarborough Hospital andreporting back to the IssueDepartment, Harry heads back toLeeds at a calmer pace. He says this isthe hardest part of the journey.

"You’ve just gone through redlights and have other drivers give way,now you need to settle down."

Another busy dayBack at the centre, Harry checks inand takes the keys to a Transit van forhis next job. It’s a busy day - anotherfour emergency deliveries have goneout whilst he’s been on the road.Other drivers are on regular deliveriesand runs, like taking samples for theBone Marrow Registry to the labs inNewcastle for tissue typing anddelivering equipment to thecollection teams that are based awayfrom the centre.

Harry’s next job is taking blood toHull Royal Infirmary. He loads thespecial insulated bags carefully into hisvan. The journey there is smooth andrelaxed. Afterwards he collects theblood from a donor session at KirkElla, a small village on the outskirts ofHull. It’s important to bring the bloodback from the afternoon’s sessionpromptly so that the platelets can beprocessed quickly.

Attitude is important when you’rea driver, according to Harry. "Youneed to be friendly and have a senseof humour - it makes people feel atease. You’re travelling the length andbreadth of the country makingdeliveries and you’re representing theNBS, so it’s important that you arepolite and friendly. "

Harry’s day finishes at 5.40pm andhe heads for home. Harry is a fatherof five and has six grandchildren. Buthe still finds time to support his localfootball side, and when not on call atweekends, likes to help out as a first-aider for two local teams.

12 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

months, during which time I couldhave been giving blood.

Within days of moving to mypresent address, I tried to registerthe change via the doctor’s surgery.When I failed to hear for months, I then contacted the NBS directly.MANDY RICHARDS

LONG BUCKBY

Editor’s response We know wecan lose valuable donors thisway. So, if you know where yournew session is, come along andwe’ll change your details there.When you register with a newdoctor, a recently introducedscheme will update our recordsand we will send you details ofsessions in your new area. Also,all our envelopes now carry themessage ‘Moving House?’, withan explanation of how to tell usof your change in details, viaeither our Website or the DonorHelpline. The new Donor HealthCheck form also has a section forchange of address, or to updateany other of your details thatmay have changed.

Getting to the point!I believe strongly in giving blood, now more so than everbefore. I signed up at 17 and gave blood four times beforebeing diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease two and a half yearsago. This led to me recently having a bone marrow transplant.

Throughout my treatment I’ve needed many units of bothred cells and platelets, to which I owe my life, and I’d like to senda universal thank you to all donors.

Whether donors realise just what a differencetheir generosity makes or not, their actions in attendingdonation sessions, giving what money can’t buy, alwaysrestores my faith in human kind.

I was disappointed to learn I can’t give blood again, and I’mencouraging friends and family to do so on my behalf. I alsolook forward to wearing the new NBS t-shirts I’ve ordered offthe Internet, and helping to ‘spread the word’ even further!KIM LASSETTER

KNOWLE

Editor’s response: We contacted 21 year-old Kim and, as well aswearing her t-shirts, she’s been featured in the Birmingham EveningMail helping ‘spread the word’ to even more people. Thank you Kim.

IS IT TRUE THAT...

QIt's school holidays, can Ibring the kids to session?

AYou may bring your childrento a session. However there is

no specific provision for childcareso parental supervision is requiredthroughout your donation session.

QCan I use my Donor HealthCheck for a different

session to my invitation or can Iuse my husband’s form?

AAs long as your form is notmore than 28 days old you

can use it for another session. Youcannot use someone else’s form asit has a barcode and donor IDnumber printed on it, which is

specific to that donor. If youhaven’t got a current DHC, we willprint one for you at the session.

QPlease could you tell me ifour blood donations are

processed and then sold on toany organisations.

AAs a non-profit body we onlyrecover our costs. However,

sometimes blood that is notrequired will be passed on toresearch organisations, oftenuniversities. In these cases we donot sell the blood but there is acharge to cover the processing,testing, packing and transport. We do bear in mind the ethical

implications of blood being used inthis way, and we are careful toensure that any organisation wesupply with blood is concernedonly with healthcare.

QThe old way of bandagingwas fine. Why have you

changed it to just a small plaster?

AThe single most effective wayto stop bleeding is to apply

direct digital pressure until it hasstopped. Bandaging alone doesnot provide enough pressure. Inthe new process the pressure isused to stop the bleeding and theplaster is only applied to keep thesite clean. Simple but effective.

Over the limitIsn’t it time to consider raising theage limit for donation from itspresent 70 years? I am rapidlyapproaching what, under theexisting rules, will be my lastdonation but I am still (well!) overthe minimum weight level and partsof me are in perfect working order.J C REALI

BRISTOL

Editor’s response We do under-stand that individuals may befitter at 70 than others at 50, butfor the average population, theage of 70 has been shown bypractical experience to be oneat which it is a good idea to stop.These regulations are underconstant review and althoughthis is the maximum age atpresent, it is possible that thismight change in the future withchanging population health.

Small but valuable donations I have very small veins and at the last donor session I attended notenough blood pumped out in theallotted time, so couldn’t be used.

What happens to this blood? CAROLE O’BOYLE

BIRMINGHAM

Editor’s response Sadly, we aren’table to give part donations topatients. If there is too littleblood, the proportion ofadditives (which are already inthe bag) to blood is too great. Sometimes, we use the partdonations for other purposes, aswe need blood to act as standardsto calibrate all hospital laboratorymachines. Also it’s used for

comparisons for all the crossmatching and antibody tests wedo in the laboratories.Some may be sent to tissue typingand organ matching laboratoriesfor their use. So, as you can see,we do use as much as we can withthese part donations.

Keeping trackI am a fairly regular blood donor butI have moved home frequently inrecent years. Sometimes gettingback on NBS lists has taken

We answer some of your questions about donating

Due to shortage of space not all publishedletters are printed in full. Whilst we welcome your letters, we cannot guaran-tee a reply or to publish them. However,any complaints raised will be respondedto via our complaints procedure.

This is your chance to tell us your news, views and interesting or unusual donor stories. Write to Penny Richardson, Editor, The Donor, National BloodService, West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TW or email thedonor@nbs.nhs.uk

STARLETTER

STARLETTER

Star Winner Kim Lassetter

STARLETTER

STARLETTER

A Star Letter will be chosen forthe next issue of The Donor. Thewriter will be invited to visit aBlood Centre and given a behindthe scenes tour. You’ll don a whitecoat, visit our laboratories and seewhat happens to a donation ofblood. You’ll meet the peoplewho are responsible for makingsure that vital blood and bloodproducts get from the donor tothe patient who needs them.

MA

RK

SW

INFO

RD

You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465 SUMMER 2004 THE DONOR 15Don’t forget the Helpline number 0845 7 711 711

RESEARCH PRIZE CROSSWORD

14 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

The secrets of stem cellsStem cells are big news these days. Research is rapidly uncovering more oftheir hidden properties and uses. NBS scientists are helping to find newways to fight disease with these miraculous little cells, which was greatnews for Charlotte Taylor when she developed a life-threatening illness

Stem cells are ‘unspecialisedcells that have not yet differentiated into any

specific type of tissue’. Put anotherway, stem cells are cells that haven’tdecided what job they’re going todo yet. Which means they are capa-ble of turning into different types oftissue or cells, creating a sort of"spare parts" bank for the body.

The blood stem cells (calledhaematopoietic) are found in bonemarrow. These stem cells develop

into all the different blood cellsincluding red cells (to carry oxygen),white cells (to fight infection), andplatelets (necessary for clotting).

They are vital for the treatmentof patients with disorders such asleukaemia, aplastic anaemia andbeta thalassaemia major.

The miraculous part is that stemcells can "fill in the gaps" for apatient with a blood disease – theygrow and divide to replace whateverblood cells are missing or damaged.

Stem cells can be collected intwo ways, either from the bonemarrow itself or, alternatively, adrug can be given to the donor toincrease the numbers of stem cellscirculating in their blood. These canbe filtered out and collected.

Charlotte’s storyCharlotte Taylor, 44, is one personwho has experienced the magicalproperties of stem cells. In 2002 shebegan suffering from terribleheadaches, swollen glands, andgenerally felt awful. She went to

her GP, and after tests was giventhe shocking diagnosis of acutemyeloid leukaemia,

Quickly Charlotte beganchemotherapy, and her brother,Simon, gave a blood sample to seeif he was a potential bone marrowdonor for her. Luckily he was anear-perfect match, and atransplant of the stem cells we’dcollected from Simon’s blood wasorganised.

Charlotte says, "The transplantwas just like having another bloodtransfusion - one small magicalbag, filled with new life. Friendshave asked about the operation orsurgery, but I just lay on the bed andreceived the stem cells through myline. The most amazing thing is theway the stem cells swim arounduntil they find the bone marrow,

and then they know that they haveto start making new blood cells."

Fourteen months after thetransplant, Charlotte wants tothank all stem cell donors. "Thankyou for giving your precious cells topeople like me. Our chances ofsurvival without your help wouldbe slim indeed."

Being your own donorAs part of their treatment, the NBScollect and store a patient’s stemcells for their own use. Cells from apatient in remission from a diseaseare stored at minus188 degrees C.

Following chemotherapy, whichdestroys the patient’s bonemarrow, the stem cells are returnedto the patient to re-establish theirbone marrow and allow it to createhealthy new blood cells.

But all of this is just the tip of theiceberg. Stem cells from bonemarrow have huge potential fortreating other diseases. Studies arein progress to develop treatmentsfor a range of degenerative illnessessuch as Parkinson’s disease

The NBS has seven Stem Cell andImmunotherapy (SCI) laboratoriesthat support hospital treatment ofpatients with leukaemias andrelated blood diseases.

We’re also working withuniversity departments and CancerResearch UK on studies into newcellular therapies for cancers thatdo not respond to conventionalmedical treatment.

“The most amazing

thing is the way the

stem cells swim

around until they find

the bone marrow,

and then they know

that they have to

start making

new blood cells”

ACROSS1 Bough (6)4 Wire fastener (6)8 Not certain (6)9 Away (6)10 Fictional Belgian sleuth (7,6)

Complete the crossword, then rearrange the letters in thehighlighted squares to make a word/s relating to the NBS.Send this word/s on a post card together with your name,address and daytime phone number to Crossword

Competition, The Donor, NBS, West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TW. You could win a new ‘Amazing’ NBS sports umbrella.Answers and winners will be in the next issue of The Donor. All entries must be received by August 31st 2004.

NBS INFORMATION

Congratulations to JanetFantham of North Devon whocorrectly answered last issue’scrossword. The correct wordwas APHERESIS

12 Large container for milk (5)17 Widespread industrial

disruption of 1926 (7,6)18 Excite (6)19 Films (6)20 Popular name for some

songbirds (6)21 Dog's shelter (6)

DOWN1 Purchased (6)2 State forcefully (6)3 Oxford college (6,7)5 Start of Hamlet's soliloquy

(2,2,2,3,2,2)6 Verse (6)7 Type of car (6)11 Uniform (5)13 Horrified (6)14 Tell (6)15 Relating to apes or

monkeys (6)16 Small mammal (6)

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTION

If you have a general enquiry or need any information about givingblood, just call the 24 hour Donor Helpline on 0845 7 711 711and staff will answer your queries on:

• Where you can give blood locally

• Whether you are able to give blood

• Your donor session details

• Becoming a bone marrow donor

• How to become a platelet donor

• Medical aspects of giving blood

• How travelling abroad might affect your giving blood

• Any other general donor mattersRemember, you can call the Helpline to tell us if you have moved house orchanged employers – we don't want to lose you!DON’T FORGET BBC2 Ceefax page 465 will give you details of blood donorsessions in your TV region over the next two days.

Permanent Blood Donor Sites If, for any reason, your local donor session is no longer suitable, then it may be more convenient for you to attend one of our permanent Blood Donor Sites. Please call theDonor Helpline to find out the details of the centres listed here:

NORTH Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield. NORTH EAST Newcastle-upon-Tyne. NORTH WEST Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester. MIDLANDS Birmingham,Leicester, Nottingham, Oxford, Stoke-on-Trent. LONDON Edgware, Tooting,West End. SOUTH EAST Luton, Cambridge, Brentwood. SOUTH WEST Bristol,Gloucester, Plymouth, Southampton.

We always need new donors. So please, ifyou are not a donor, fill out the couponbelow, place it in an envelope and send it toNational Blood Service, FREEPOST, 75Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 7YB, or call0845 7 711 711 now to enrol as a donor.

SURNAME

Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss

FIRST NAME

DATE OF BIRTH / /

ADDRESS

POSTCODE

DAYTIME PHONE No

To give blood you need to be in good health,aged 17 to 60 and weigh over 7st 12lbs/50kg.Please send this coupon to the address above.MO6

I would like to join the NHS Blood Donor Register as someonewho may be contacted and would be prepared to donateblood. I understand that the National Blood Service (NBS) or itspartners may phone, write or otherwise contact me with detailsof local donor sessions. I agree to the NBS holding my person-al details on their donor database and processing this infor-mation as necessary for the proper administration of the NBS.

Blooming marvellous: Charlottewas given life-saving stem celltherapy after developing acutemyeloid leukaemia

Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711

NEWS EXTRA

16 THE DONOR SUMMER 2004

A very special delivery

W hen Jenny Worrallfound out she waspregnant almost two

years ago, she was delighted todiscover she was expecting twins.It’s something of a tradition in herfamily - hers were the fifth set inthree generations. She certainlynever expected that their birthwould bring danger that threat-ened not only her own life, butalso the life of one of her babies.

After a trouble-free pregnancy,Jenny went into labour at homeand was taken to a hospital inStockport by husband Chris. Afterjust half an hour, Jenny gave birthto first twin Ross. Then events tooka dangerous turn.

ConcernJenny says, "Something wasn’tright. The second twin hadn’tarrived and the doctor and midwifelooked concerned."

The umbilical cord was

compressed, blood wasn’t gettingthrough to the unborn twin, andheart rate monitors showed thebaby was in distress.

"The rest is a blur," says Jenny."They tried to get him out usingsuction, but when that didn’t workI was immediately rushed intotheatre for a caesarean. It nevercrossed my mind that I could be indanger. All I could think about wasmy baby, and hope that he could bedelivered safely."

Luke was delivered by caesareanand rushed into intensive care, butthe danger wasn’t over for Jenny. Inthe recovery room she began losinga lot of blood and had to be takenback into theatre. An artery hadbeen damaged. Surgeons found alitre of blood in Jenny’s abdominalcavity and a further litre in the drainfrom her wound.

Meanwhile, Chris was pacingthe floor anxiously outside theoperating theatre.

"It was terrifying," he says. "Justan hour before, everything was fineand we were looking forward tocelebrating the birth of our healthybabies. Suddenly, everything hadchanged: one of them was inintensive care and Jenny wasfighting for her life."

Surgeons managed to repair thedamaged artery, but by then Jennyhad lost over three litres of blood.

She received six units of blood andtwo units of plasma, whichundoubtedly saved her life. Patientsin obstetrics and gynaecology needon average more than 83,000 unitsof blood each year.

After the operation, Jenny wasstill very poorly. Baby Luke hadseizures and doctors didn’t know ifhe had brain damage as a result ofhis traumatic birth.

"People weren’t sure whether tosend congratulations cards," saysJenny. "We just didn’t know whatwas going to happen."

Miraculous recoveryLuckily, Luke staged a miraculousrecovery. Just five days after hisbirth, he left intensive care andjoined Jenny and brother Ross onthe maternity ward. Soon afterthey were well enough to go hometo the rest of the family.

Almost two years on, Jenny hasher hands full looking after thelively twins as well as daughtersLeoni, seven, and Jodie, four.

She says, "It’s every parent’snightmare not to be there for theirchildren. But I know that if itweren’t for blood donors Iwouldn’t be here to see my childrengrow up. To everyone who takesthe time to donate - thank you."

Chris adds: 'Without thoseblood donors, I may well have lostmy wife, and my children wouldhave lost their mother. I would liketo thank them all for giving ourfamily a happy ending. '

Jenny Worrall was hoping to have a straight-forward birth for her twins. But when thingsstarted to go wrong, donated blood saved her life

Jenny and Chris Worrall, withtwin sons Ross and Luke

“Without thoseblood donors, I may well have lost my wife,

and my childrenwould have lost their mother”