The Donor - Summer 2010

NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR BLOOD DONORS SUMMER 2010NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR BLOOD DONORS SUMMER 2010

Our extra-special service

Bright future for stem cell therapyThe good news for patients

Bright future for stem cell therapyThe good news for patients

MEERA SYAL TELLS US ABOUT “The most wonderful gift”MEERA SYAL TELLS US ABOUT “The most wonderful gift”

Donor Helpline – 0300 123 23 23Donor23-p01 F1.indd 1 17/06/2010 13:54

SUMMER 2010 THE DONOR 3

In this issueIn this issueCOVER STORIES

PAGE 4

PAGE 26

PAGE 16

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 “Themostwonderfulgiftyoucouldleave”Actress and writer Meera Syal talks about her latest role – bringing the organ donation message to ethnic minority communities

8 KeepingyouintheloopHow our social networking sites are spreading the donation message

9 TickingtherightboxesOur partnerships with organisations such as Boots help us reach many new donors and ‘tick box’ schemes have made it easy for people to opt in as organ donors

11 BenplaysonthankstotissuedonorFormer Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster faced the end of his career after he ruptured a knee ligament. But a donated tendon helped him back to fitness

12 KeepingitinthefamilyFifteen-year-old James Vincent was a fit rugby player but he couldn’t understand why he felt so tired and unwell. Then came the bombshell from the doctors

14 Howdidwedo?Our campaign to encourage more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register certainly hit the headlines. Find out how successful we were

16 Ourextra-specialserviceMany patients, pregnant women, and cancer sufferers rely on the work of our specialist Red Cell Immunohaemotology department. The scientists there are experts in investigating unusual blood problems

20 OvertoyouCatch up with readers’ letters, plus health Q&As

21 There’snostoppingJohnnowJohn Richardson, 72, is on target to reach his 100th donation

23 KeepingsuppliesontrackEach year, our drivers travel over 8 million miles and carry 2 million units of blood to hospitals up and down the country

26 BrightfutureforstemcelltherapyA ground-breaking plan to provide more blood stem cell transplants for seriously ill patients is being led by NHS Blood and Transplant

28 MakingsuredonorsareheardHead of Donor Advocacy, Andrew Pearce, works with his customer services and donor advocacy teams to make sure your comments and views are heard

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“The most wonderful gift you could leave”“The most wonderful gift you could leave”With on average three people dying each day waiting for organs, what would you like to say to encourage people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register?Well no one likes thinking about death and illness, but we still make a will, take out health insurance, life insurance, all of them are there to help us cope with ill health and

beyond. In a way, I see joining the Organ Donor Register as a similar practical move, but one that is more like making a charitable donation after death. It is like leaving someone a new lease of life in your will, an amazing gift.How did you start your career in the media?I studied English and Drama at Manchester University and from there got my first acting job at the Royal Court Theatre in London.Many people know you best for your role as Ummi, the grandmother, in The Kumars

at No 42. What was it like playing someone older than yourself?I loved it! It was very liberating to play an older woman who was so full of life and mischief,

and got away with the naughtiest lines too.You reached Number 1 in the UK charts with your Comic Relief single ‘Spirit in the Sky’. What was it like performing with Gareth Gates?Gareth was a very sweet guy, he had a great sense of humour and really got into the anarchy of the whole shoot.You are a comedienne, writer, playwright, singer, journalist, producer and actress. Do you have any time for hobbies?Not much but I do love playing

netball, I’ve been a member of a local team for years.On BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs you chose your one luxury item as a piano. Do you play?No and that’s why I chose the piano - being stuck on an island would be the perfect opportunity to force myself to learn something! My daughter plays amazingly, she’s had lessons for years, and I love just watching her play, it’s such a skill.What has been your proudest moment in life so far?I would say the two days on which my beautiful children were born. l

Above: Playing the mischievious Ummi in The Kumars at No 42. Left: Meera takes a leading role in the recent Doctor Who series

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Actress and writer Meera Syal talks about her latest role – bringing the organ donation message to ethnic minority communities. Patients from these communities often face a long wait for a suitable organ. Whilst they wait donated blood can be a lifeline

COVER STORY

“The most wonderful gift you could leave”“The most wonderful gift you could leave”

How did you become involved with the ‘Prove it!’ organ donation campaign?I was asked to take part by Anjna Raheja from Media Moguls who is a long standing friend and is helping with the campaign. As it is such a worthwhile cause, I had no hesitation in signing up.Have you signed up to the Organ Donor Register?Yes I have! Why do you think it is so important for ethnic minorities to give their organs?There is a crippling shortage of donors from ethnic minority communities and of course, this means a very small pool of organs available to the many sufferers waiting for a life-saving organ. Our reluctance to get involved means we are literally letting our own people die needlessly, it’s so frustrating.Why do you think that only 28 per cent of the country have

signed up to become an organ donor, but 96 per cent would accept an organ should they need it?I don’t know if people feel

squeamish at the thought of giving a part of their body away, and certainly many people don’t like to think that they may one day die and thus be an eligible donor. But it is a bit hypocritical, isn’t it, to say you’d happily accept someone else’s organs to save your own life but wouldn’t think of donating

yourself! The fact is, for many bereaved families who have been able to pass on the organs of their loved one to save someone else’s life, there is a profound feeling of satisfaction. What you often hear is that they feel that by saving someone else, their own loved one has not died in vain. An organ donation after death is probably the most wonderful gift and legacy you could leave; how amazing to think you could actually save someone else’s life.

l Born in Wolverhamptonl 1980 - studied English and Drama at

Manchester University l 1983 - won the National Student Drama

Award for One of Us l 1996 - wrote Anita and Me which won a

Betty Trask award l 1996 – began writing and performing in BBC’s Goodness Gracious Me l 1997 – made an MBE l 1999 – wrote Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee l 2000 – won Media Personality of the Year at the Commission for

Racial Equality’s annual Race in the Media awards l 2001/02 – adapted, co-produced and acted in the film version of

Anita and Mel 2005 – married Sanjeev Bhaskar. Meera has two children. l

LIFE STORYLIFE STORY

4 THE DONOR SUMMER 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


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

Would you enjoy spreading the word about blood,

bone marrow and organ donation to 16 to 18-year-olds? An important education project is looking for more volunteer speakers to talk to teenagers in sixth forms and colleges around the country. Called the ‘Register & Be a lifesaver’ (R & B) project, it was created as a result of a campaign by journalist and leukaemia sufferer Adrian Sudbury, and is run jointly by us and the Anthony Nolan Trust.

R & B launched last year as a six-month pilot in Bristol and South Yorkshire. Last December the Department for Children, Schools and Families (now called the Department for Education)announced funding to allow the project to start rolling out nationally and promised £165,000 over 12 months, until December 2010.

Volunteers have already visited new areas, and 25 schools and colleges in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have hosted or are about to host R & B talks.

Also to be visited are the other parts of Yorkshire, Birmingham, Liverpool and London. In Nottinghamshire, Adrian’s father, Keith Sudbury, has been leading talks in schools and colleges.

But more volunteers are needed to spread the word. Don’t worry, volunteers do not need to be experts in public speaking or on the subject of donation, as full training is given.

Interested? Contact Carole McAlpine on 07900 561 750 or email [email protected]. l

Volunteers neededStaff from construction

company Morgan Ashurst have so far helped to save 665 lives in just six months, thanks to their ‘Save 1,000 Lives’ campaign. The campaign encourages as many members of staff as possible to donate blood, and they aim to recruit 335 new blood donors across the UK.

Morgan Ashurst’s Aston Mills says, “It costs nothing to give blood but the gift of life is the most precious thing we can offer and we are extremely proud to lead the way in helping NHSBT to boost blood stocks.” l

Company campaign to help save lives

Beverley De-Gale and Orin Lewis, founders

of the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), recently visited our Filton blood centre in Bristol.

Their son Daniel was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was six and received a bone marrow transplant. During his life he campaigned for more people to join the British Bone Marrow Register.

During the visit, Orin gave a talk about the importance of donation to a group of local students. Donor relations co-ordinator Geraldine Parker says, “We invited the students so they understood how important it is to give blood and to sign up as potential bone marrow donors.” l

Making kids aware

Scouts show the wayEveryone knows Scouts have to Be

Prepared. But making good use of time and having respect for others are also important Scout laws. That is why nine Explorer Scouts decided to make their first donation.

Caroline Colclough, 17, who organised the group donation in Luton, says, “Some of our leaders are blood donors and they spoke to us about the importance of giving blood. I wanted to donate and I emailed around to see if anyone wanted to join me.”

The 17 and 18-year-old Scouts enjoyed refreshments after donating and are looking forward to attending their next session. In the meantime they hope other young people will be prepared to give blood. l

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6 THE DONOR SUMMER 2010

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

Most people raise

money from their sponsors when they run the London Marathon. But Mandy Strange (right) wanted her sponsors to donate blood, and thanks to successfully completing the run, she has managed to sign up many new donors. Mandy, from Southampton and a donor herself, wanted to show her gratitude in a practical way after her partner, Sam, needed many transfusions when their baby, William (above), was born 14 months ago. l

We are always striving to improve your

experience of giving blood, so step forward the new donation chair! A prototype of the new chair is being tested at our new Session Environment Test Centre (SETC) in Bristol.

The chair is one of the first things to be tested. Project manager Scott Cooper says, “The aim in trying to find a new donor

chair that could replace the current donor beds is to improve donors’ experience by improving their overall comfort and safety and by enhancing our staff’s ability to provide high quality care.” l

Our award-winning educational resource for

teachers to use in the classroom, Give and Let Live , was created to encourage young people to think about blood and organ donation and become “good citizens” of the future.

More than two thirds of secondary schools across the UK have already ordered the pack and are using the materials with 14 to 16-year-olds.

Jeanette Reaney from The Corbet School in Shrewsbury says, “Staff at our school enjoy using the pack as it’s very straightforward to teach. Our students find the lessons interesting and the case studies feature real life stories which they can relate to.”

Give and Let Live is now complemented by the ‘Register & Be a lifesaver’ programme – a joint initiative between us and the Anthony Nolan Trust which is designed to raise awareness of donation with 16 to 18-year-olds (see news story opposite).

To order a teacher’s pack call 01634 729843, email [email protected] or go to the dedicated website www.giveandletlive.co.uk. l

Are you sitting comfortably?

Give and Let Live a hit with teachers

Running for blood

Youngest platelet donorAt just 17, Michael Childs is believed to be

the youngest platelet donor in England and North Wales. He comes from a family of donors and his father, Colin, and mother, Teresa, have made more than 50 donations each.

Michael made his first donation last September, and it was a family affair with Colin and Teresa also giving blood. Michael asked to have his platelet levels tested and, after receiving the thumbs up from staff, made his first platelet donation two months later.

Michael now gives platelets as often as he can. “I would encourage anyone who is able to donate blood or platelets to do so. It’s a worthwhile cause that can help save lives.”

Keen computer gamer Michael is now studying double Maths and Accountancy A- levels and hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps to become an accountant. l

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9SUMMER 2010 THE DONOR

Our partnerships with organisations such as Boots and the DVLA help us reach many new donors.

‘Tick box’ schemes have made it easy for people to opt in as organ donors, whilst many employees can now give blood conveniently where they work

Our core mission is to ‘save and improve lives’ and getting that message

across to new audiences is vital. Over the years we have been building partnerships with a number of organisations as a means of reaching more people with our message. The results have been encouraging and millions of you have responded.

NHS Organ Donor RegisterThis has benefited hugely from our partnership approach. In 2009, working mainly with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Boots and GP surgeries, we managed to sign more than four out of five new registrants to the Organ Donor Register (ODR) through a simple tick-box method.

NHSBT’s Emma Harbour says, “Since the creation of the ODR in 1994, the DVLA has accounted for half of all new sign ups – nearly eight million people have joined by simply ticking a box on the application form for a driving licence.” An additional one million new people have joined the ODR by ticking the box on their Boots Advantage Card application form.

Our partnerships are now going even further. Boots will be promoting the ODR to both their staff and customers over the coming year, and are targeting 8,000 head office staff in Nottingham as well as putting out case study articles in customer publications. It’s also

Ticking the right boxes Ticking the right boxes PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS

You may have heard that we have recently written to 300,000 people on the Organ Donor Register to confirm their preferences, after finding a technical error in the way that information was recorded.

We assure everyone on the register that the affected records will only be used in future family discussions once they have been corrected in accordance with the registrant’s wishes.

We have contacted the small number of families whose relative may not have had his or her preferences correctly recorded and went on to become a donor. In each case the family gave permission for the donation to take place, but it may not have been in line with the individual’s preferences.

Most of the 17 million people on the register do not need to take any action. But if you wish to check your details please contact us on 0300 123 99 99 or email [email protected]. l

Confirming donors’ wishes

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THE DONOR SUMMER 2010

DIGITAL MEDIA

8

Keeping you in the loop Keeping you in the loop Facebook and Twitter are helping us to spread the

word about blood and organ donation. Thousands of you now support us on these social networking sites

and we hope many more of you will join

Social media is evolving swiftly, transforming at the same time both social

relationships and the way we communicate. Thousands of you are already supporting us via online social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. These sites focus on building online communities of people who share similar interests and hobbies.

By keeping up with modern technologies we aim to offer our audience an easy and immediate contact with the latest facts and events, in order to create a direct flow of information from us to our supporters. We hope that these groups of supporters for blood and organ donation will spread the message to family and friends, and encourage even more people to register to become donors.

FacebookAt present we have 3,500 supporters on the official Join the NHS Organ Donor Register group, and over 21,700 fans of the recent Organ Donor Campaign.

We also have 950 Facebook members on the viral marketing website, the Wall of Life, and 12,000 people who have now joined. This wall is actually an online mosaic in which every ‘tile’ is a photograph

uploaded by individual supporters of organ donation. These tiles – portraits of supporters, their family members or friends – will collectively make a picture of heart transplant recipient, Louisa McGregor-Smith. Louisa celebrates her third birthday

in July 2010, and she is only alive today because of a lifesaving heart transplant when she was just five months old.

To join Wall of Life, you just sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register, create your personal space, upload your picture, and then see your “tile” placed on the wall. You can also use the search function on the webpage to search for and zoom in on your own picture or someone you know.

TwitterOver at Twitter, we have more than 560 followers who get regular ‘tweets’ from us on their phones or computers about blood and organ donation. We hope to be tweeting to many more followers soon.

Our head of new media, Mamta Ruparelia, says, “Social networking websites are a key communication channel. We see the value of building online relationships with our donors and raising awareness about NHSBT through these sites. We have plans to expand our presence further.”

Corporate websiteYou’ll also see changes soon to our corporate website, www.nhsbt.nhs.uk, which is undergoing a complete redesign. It will offer more information and will be easier to navigate. The new site will have an area for the partnership work that we are doing (see p9 & 10) plus the latest about blood and organ donation.

Other key features will include a search engine, a profile of our Board and our annual review. The site will also have a link to our careers website. l

Your data is safe with us We can reassure everyone who gives us their email details that the information will be handled in strict confidence and stored in a secure location. Your details will not be supplied to a third party without your consent, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. We may employ agents to process data, for example mailing companies to send out communications. Any such company must meet the same standards that apply to us. Our privacy policy can be viewed at www.blood.co.uk/privacy/ l

TWiTTer http://twitter.com/NHSBTFAceBOOk http://www.facebook.com/organdonationukWAll OF liFe http://www.facebook.com/group.hp?gid=107378159461

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FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFBen plays on thanks to tissue donor

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Former Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster, who recently moved to Birmingham City, was faced with a career-ending injury after he ruptured a knee ligament. It was the second time he’d damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, and to have a chance of saving his career he needed a new tendon to repair the injury. Tendons are often preferred to ligaments as they are stronger.

Now thanks to the generosity of a tissue donor, Ben has received an Achilles tendon, helping

him back to full fitness. “Without the donated tendon for my knee, my playing career may not have lasted this long,” says Ben. “Thanks to the kindness of my donor, I’ve been able to get back to playing Premier League football again, and had the honour of being called up to play for England. It’s all thanks to the skill of the surgeon, the help from NHSBT in providing me with the tendon, and to the donor. Without the decision to donate this would never have been possible.” l

Donor23-p11 F1.indd 1 17/06/2010 14:06


looking at including donation information in staff payslips.

Blood donationCompanies such as AXA Insurance and IBM and local businesses and colleges who allow us to hold blood donor sessions on their premises are important to us. These partnerships allow employees and students the convenience of donating blood at work or college, often during working hours. In fact, in 2009, 10 per cent of all blood donations came through dedicated sessions at a workplace.

These dedicated sessions at company venues are planned well

in advance and it is vital that they are well attended to ensure that the expected number of donations are made so that blood stock levels are maintained. As with all our blood donor session venues, there are certain criteria that have to be met before a company or college site can be considered.

Says Emma, “In 2010, we are looking to build further on the success of our partnerships across all forms of donation. Some of the partnerships being developed include arrangements with fire and rescue services and high street retailers.

“We are also building relationships with trade unions and with the Local Government Association to ensure that everyone in the UK has the opportunity to understand why donation is important and that they know how to do their bit.”

We realise the importance of these partnerships in encouraging donation and hope that they will help to trigger the conversation about donation with both employees and their families. l

Our partnerships mean we can reach thousands of valued donors. At the same time, organisations can demonstrate their sense of corporate social responsibilities and company ethos, whilst employees get a chance to contribute to the community. ROyAl MAil Royal Mail will be communicating our message through a number of channels including the possibility of our logo appearing on stamp books.JOhn lewiswe worked with the John lewis Partnership on a

campaign to reach its 69,000 staff through its network of occupational health advisors.BOOts the CheMistthe company has one of the largest loyalty card schemes, making it easy to reach a wide audience. A tick box on the application form for a Boots Advantage Card lets people opt in as an organ donor.DVlABy providing a tick box on its application forms, the DVlA has provided us with half of all sign ups to the Organ Donor Register in 2009. l

Win-win partnerships

“In fact, in 2009, 10 per cent of all blood donations came through

dedicated sessions at a workplace”

We have reached thousands more valued donors through partnerships

Donor23-p09&10 F3.indd 2 17/06/2010 22:06

13

Keeping it in the familyKeeping it in the family

continued to produce increasing numbers of blood cells. After a tough 11 weeks in hospital, James went home.

Remarkably, during this period James had home tuition and managed to achieve seven A stars and three As at GCSE. He’s now planning to study civil engineering at Bristol University.

Side effectThere has been one odd side effect from the treatment,

says James. “My blood group has changed from O negative to B positive, the same as Stephanie’s. I’m really lucky to have Stephanie, she saved my life, although I was a bit concerned I’d get her red hair! But I never doubted I would survive, I had too much to do in my life.”

Mum, Jill, says, “All the doctors and nurses at both hospitals were

amazing and we had a lot of support from the

Teenage Cancer Trust and the Aplastic Anaemia Trust. But what’s most remarkable is that

red cells and platelets were always available;

you could see how much difference it made. So we all want to thank the donors who gave their blood. In the end, James had over 100 red cell and even more

platelet transfusions. For this we are truly

grateful.” l

Aplastic anaemia is a serious but rare disease that develops when the bone marrow fails to produce blood cells. Bone marrow is a soft fatty tissue found in the cavities of the bone.

The precise cause of aplastic anaemia is unknown, although there is evidence that the severe damage to the bone marrow stem cells can be caused by an auto-immune reaction, where the immune system starts to attack the body’s own tissues. This can be triggered by certain drugs, some chemicals or certain diseases and infections. l

What is aplastic anaemia?

so that I knew what was involved. I just saw it as the next step to help my brother. “

ChemotherapyJames was given a high dose of chemotherapy and a special

serum to destroy his bone marrow. “The chemotherapy made me really sick, I felt lethargic, weak and lost my hair.”

Stephanie had injections that stimulated her production of stem cells which were then collected through a cell separator machine. She endured a five hour process, donating 1.6 million stem cells, which unfortunately fell short of the 3 million cells required. After a fifth injection and a second session, she donated a further 4.2 million stem cells, a total of 5.8 million.

James had his transplant in March 2007, and three weeks later he started to produce his own blood cells. Gradually his health improved and he

SUMMER 2010 THE DONOR

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Fifteen year-old James Vincent couldn’t understand why he felt so tired and unwell. Then came

the bombshell – doctors told him he had the potentially fatal blood disease, aplastic anaemia.

But luckily, his big sister could help

PATIENT STORY

Keeping it in the familyKeeping it in the familyIt was Christmas 2006, and sports-mad James Vincent couldn’t understand why he

had begun to feel so tired. He’d just played a full term of

rugby, but noticed he didn’t have his usual stamina and strength.

“I kept getting blood rushes to my head and felt dizzy all the time. I came out in a strange rash and bruised really easily,” says James. “I also seemed to spend a lot of time sitting down and sleeping. Over Christmas I had flu-like symptoms and my skin turned yellow.”

His GP referred James immediately to Watford General Hospital where doctors found his blood count of red cells, platelets and white cells very low. He received several red cell and platelet transfusions and was transferred to University College Hospital in London for a bone marrow biopsy.

This involved taking a small amount of bone marrow from the hip bones and then examining it for abnormal cells and the number, size and maturity of blood cells. The results showed James had the rare and potentially fatal blood disease, aplastic anaemia (see box).

VulnerableJames explains, “The doctors inspected my bone marrow tissue and found that I could not produce my own blood cells and had no immune system. I just kept using up all the blood they gave me, and needed to be topped up constantly.”

James’s lack of immunity left him vulnerable and he suffered serious infections in his lungs, liver and an arm. His low platelet count made

his eyes haemorrhage and once they turned completely red.

After many blood transfusions and antibiotics, James was told he would need a bone marrow transplant. To determine the best possible match between a patient and a potential donor, doctors will check their HLAs (Human Leukocyte Antigens), a complex family of inherited proteins. HLA factors are passed down from the mother and father and so the

greatest chance of having the same HLA type is between brothers and sisters. There’s only a one in four chance of a match and luckily for James, sister Stephanie (20) was a perfect match.

She says, “It felt like a whirlwind at the time; the nurses took me to one side and explained the process

James with sisters Amy and Stephanie, mum Jill and dad Charles

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Some of our Celebrity Champions who helped promote the campaign (from the left): Ama K. Abebrese, Jaya, Jay Sean and Sonia Deol



and black communities to join the ODR. Supporters include actress Meera Syal (see page 4), comedian and actor Kulvinder Ghir, actor Wil Johnson, TV presenters Sonia Deol and Ama K Abebrese, singer Jaya and R&B artist Jay Sean.

Misconceptions about organ donation can be a barrier, so we organised a series of street plays to visit

many key locations around the country in February and March. The plays were supported by a series of talks by transplant patients and health professionals in local places of worship to highlight people’s issues around organ donation and to encourage congregations to join the ODR.

Positive resultsOver the fi rst few months of the campaign, more than half a million new people joined the ODR. There are now over 17 million people signed up to the ODR representing a rise from 27 per cent of the

population to 28 per cent. This is great news but, with an average of three people a day still dying before a suitable organ becomes available, we urgently need more people to take action and sign up to the ODR.

In the coming year and beyond we will be trying to reach those people who need more time to think and talk about organ donation before committing to joining the ODR. We will provide all the information needed so they can make an informed decision. �Huge media interest helped us

to find over half a million new organ and tissue donors

a transplant. As with blood donors, the number of organ donors from BME communities is far fewer than from the white community. So we developed a special campaign aimed specifi cally at engaging with these groups.

The BME campaign was launched in February at the Hammersmith Hospital. Celebrities from the British Asian, African and Caribbean communities have also pledged their support and say they’ll be urging members of South Asian

You can join the ODR by• fi lling in a form at

www.organdonation.nhs.uk • calling the NHS Donor Line on

0300 123 23 23 • texting SAVE to 84118 You can also join when you • register for a driving licence • apply for a Boots

Advantage Card • register at a GP surgery • register for a European Health

Insurance Card (EHIC). �

How to join the ODR

and black communities to join the ODR. Supporters include actress Meera Syal (see page 4), comedian and actor Kulvinder Ghir, actor Wil Johnson, TV presenters Sonia Deol and Ama K Abebrese, singer Jaya and R&B artist Jay Sean.

organ donation can be a barrier, so we organised a series of street plays to visit

many key locations around the Huge media interest helped us

Donor23-p14&15 F2.indd 3 17/06/2010 14:10

with our ‘Prove It!’ road show, which visited 20 locations across England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

There’s nothing like meeting somebody personally connected with organ donation to get the message across, and at every road show we had someone who had received a transplant, or was waiting for one or whose family member had donated their organs. We also had a local specialist nurse (formerly known as a donor


How did we do?How did we do?Our campaign to encourage more people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register certainly hit the

headlines. Eight months on from the launch, we can update you on the campaign’s progress

It was our biggest ever campaign to get people to sign up to the Organ Donor Register (ODR).

Most of you will have seen, heard or read our ‘Prove It!’ message, which we launched last November (see our Winter 2009 issue). We set out to turn people’s good intentions into action. Whilst 96 per cent of people in the UK said they would accept a donated organ if they needed it, just 27 per cent had signed up to the ODR.

We have one of the lowest rates of organ donation in Europe (13 donors per million of population) whilst Spain has the highest, with 35 donors per million. It was against that background that we rolled out our television, radio, digital and press adverts and took to the streets

transplant co-ordinator) present to answer questions about the donation process and help to dispel common myths and misconceptions.

The approach seemed to work and many thousands of people signed up to the ODR on the day at the events in city centres, and many more took away leafl ets to sign up by post or online. Meanwhile, the road shows generated considerable media interest, encouraging more people to join.

More ethnic donors neededThe campaign needed to reach particularly those from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds. Currently BME patients wait at least three times longer than white patients to fi nd a suitable match for

someone who had received a transplant, or was waiting for one or whose family member had donated their organs. We transplant co-ordinator)

update you on the campaign’s progress

Getting the message across in Birmingham

work and many thousands of Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine, but they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving gift to others.

In 2005, when she was just 16, doctors placed cystic fi brosis sufferer Jessica Wales on the waiting list for a double lung transplant and gave her two years to live. Jessica not only defi ed these odds, she also became an advocate for the charity Live Life Then Give Life and campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of the urgent need for more people to sign up as donors.

After four years on the waiting list during which she needed a constant supply of oxygen and antibiotics to survive, Jessica had her transplant last December. Sadly her body was no longer strong enough to recover and only three weeks after receiving her transplant Jessica lost her fi ght for life aged just 20. �

Remembering Jessica

ORGAN DONATION

Donor23-p14&15 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:10

are over 250 human blood group antigens, each of which may produce an antibody response following a blood transfusion or

pregnancy. It is not unusual for a patient to have multiple antibodies, especially if they have received many transfusions. The lab will

also investigate other serological problems such as immune haemolytic anaemias which occur when a patient’s immune system

How red cell antibodies are formed during pregnancy

A. This baby has a different blood group from its mother. You can see this from the in the mother and the in the baby.

C. Antibodies can move across the mother’s placenta into the baby’s blood, where they may attack the baby’s red cells and cause anaemia.

B. A baby’s blood can cross through the placenta into the mother’s blood. In this picture the baby’s blood is now in the mother, along with her own blood. In rare cases, her body recognises these cells are different and makes antibodies to fight them.

Mother’s red blood cells Baby’s red blood cells Mother’s antibody

“There are over 250

human blood group

antigens, each of

which may produce

an antibody

response following

a blood transfusion

or pregnancy”


Donor23-p16to19 F2.indd 3 17/06/2010 14:12

COVER STORY

Many patients, pregnant women and cancer sufferers rely on the work of our specialist Red Cell Immunohaemotology

department. The scientists working there are experts at working with unusual antibodies and making sure every

transfusion is safe and effective

As a donor, you probably know how many uses your blood can be put to. What

you may not realise is how much scientific and technical expertise lies behind every successful transfusion, and how this expertise helps not only patients but many other individuals, including mums-to-be. The home of much of this expert knowledge is our Red Cell Immunohaematology (RCI) department.

RCI is the largest department within our Patients’ Services team. There are RCI reference laboratories at our blood centres in Birmingham, Colindale, Filton, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield and Tooting. The scientific and management staff of RCI are registered biomedical scientists or clinical scientists who provide advice to the hospital transfusion laboratories.

Our team of consultants also give advice to hospital doctors when necessary. Malcolm Needs, reference service manager,



explains, “The work of RCI is vital in ensuring that patients who require specialist and detailed laboratory examination are transfused with the best possible matched blood.”

Antibody testingOne of the RCI’s crucial roles is spotting transfusion problems

before they can affect a patient. If a pre-transfusion test suggests that a patient may have antibodies that would interfere with a transfusion, samples of their blood would be sent to the RCI’s red cell reference laboratory to check for specific red cell antibodies. This is called serological investigation. There


Donor23-p16to19 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:12

membrane of red blood cells to become altered, exposing ‘hidden’ antigens. The unmasked antigen binds with certain antibodies normally present in the plasma of almost all adults. Therefore, blood donations which, when transfused, can cause the T antigen activated blood to break down (haemolysis). T antigen activation does not often cause problems for adults but can seriously affect transfused babies.

Our labs also test for the anti-IgA antibody. Approximately 1 in 700 people are deficient in IgA and they may be at risk if they are exposed to someone else’s IgA, through a plasma transfusion for example. The patient could suffer anaphylactic shock due to the reaction of the IgA with the anti-IgA antibodies (between 30-40% of IgA deficient patients have antibody). If this condition is

diagnosed, patients can receive washed red cells and platelets if they need further transfusions. For anyone requiring plasma, fresh frozen plasma has to be obtained from donors who are naturally IgA deficient.

Another essential RCI test is for IgG ABO antibodies (a particular type of ABO antibody) which is useful for patients who are to receive a donated kidney from a

“To say I am grateful is the understatement of the year”Mike had chemotherapy, but as time went on his red cell count started to drop and he needed regular blood transfusions.

He began more chemotherapy last July, and in January this year tests showed the cancerous white cells were down to a satisfactory level. But by March, Mike’s red blood cell count had dropped dramatically and his haemoglobin levels were just 4.3g/dl, well below the normal range.

Blood samples were sent for urgent testing to our RCI labs in Liverpool where scientists found that because Mike had received so many transfusions – and as a result been exposed to many different antigens – his body was rejecting the donated blood as incompatible

Cross matching was done in our RCI labs to assess the antibodies in the blood, and people with compatible

blood types were called on to donate for Mike. An extra night shift was put in at the RCI labs to process the blood that was donated. Just 17 hours later Mike received the vital transfusions thanks to these donors and the staff who worked through the night to help save his life.

“To say I was grateful to all the people involved would be the understatement of the year,” says Mike.

He spent four weeks in hospital undergoing more tests which showed the chemotherapy had destroyed the cancerous white cells, but targeted his healthy red cells too. He needed 13 units of specially cross matched blood and is now taking a new drug to help target his white cells and encourage his red cells to grow.

“This must work for me to give me a future to look forward to,” Mike says. “I am eternally grateful to everyone who was involved in my care.“l

Moving the samples around The samples to be tested by our RCI labs are sent over from the hospitals usually with one of our drivers. Occasionally samples are sent by post. Urgent requests are telephoned into the RCI department and the sample sent by courier.

Once samples have been analysed a report is sent back to the hospitals via our drivers, listing the findings and our clinical advice. In some cases this will include a time frame to send further blood samples for ongoing assessments, checking to see if antibodies have become stronger or if new antibodies have been developed. l


donor with a close but not ideally-matched blood group.

Many of these highly specific tests are not carried out in high volume but they are essential for the correct diagnosis and well-being of many critically-ill patients. As Malcolm says, “We do come across some rare individuals whose blood requires extensive examination and it may take several days for us to work out their requirements.” l

Donor23-p16to19 F2.indd 5 17/06/2010 14:12

starts to destroy the body’s own red cells. RCI also resolve blood grouping anomalies.

Keeping baby healthyEvery year, more than 300,000 samples from pregnant women are checked for their blood group and screened for the presence of irregular red cell antibodies. Women who have given consent are also screened for hepatitis, HIV, syphilis and rubella markers.

The RCI antenatal testing programme is designed to prevent haemolytic disease of the newborn and reduce the transmission of infectious diseases from an expectant mother to her baby.

Haemolytic disease of the newborn occurs If the antigens on the baby’s red cells trigger an antibody response in the mother, the results of which can be devastating for the baby, leaving it very anaemic

“To say I am grateful is the understatement of the year”

the number of foetal blood cells that are circulating in the mother’s blood stream. If such cells are discovered, in certain circumstances steps can be taken to neutralise the mother’s antibody response.

Highly specific testsSometimes a patient develops a rare but potentially serious blood condition caused by an unusual antibody or a reaction to a drug or treatment. At our RCI laboratory in Sheffield, we test for something called drug-induced auto-immune haemolytic anaemia. This is an extremely rare blood disorder which happens when medicine a patient is taking causes the body’s immune system to attack its own red blood cells.

All our RCI departments test for T antigen activation. Sometimes an individual can have a serious infection which causes the

Mike Wood was left in turmoil three years ago when a routine health check revealed he was suffering from Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL).

Within a fortnight, the 56-year-old father of two from Merseyside saw the haematologist consultant at his local hospital and was given regular appointments to track the rise in his white cell count. In February 2008

or jaundiced. Preventing this so-called Rh alloimmunization is an important part of RCI’s antenatal testing programme.

If a baby is judged to be at risk from haemolytic disease of the newborn, the laboratories will monitor the mother’s red cell antibodies to give a warning when interventions may be needed.

One intervention is to measure

“We do come across some rare individuals

whose blood requires extensive examination and it

may take several days for us to work out

their requirements”

Mike (far left) recently visited our RCI labs with his wife Sheila. They were shown round by John Eggington (middle) the RCI reference laboratory manager


Donor23-p16to19 F2.indd 4 17/06/2010 14:12


FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFThere’s no stopping John nowJohn Richardson, 72, is thrilled that he can keep on giving blood. Last year we removed the 70 years upper age limit for donors (for those who have made a donation in the previous two years) and John has taken full advantage of this and is now on target to reach his 100th donation by the summer.

John, a keen wildlife photographer, gave his first donation back in the 1950s. He was based at RAF Finningley in Yorkshire where he was training to be an aircraft electrician. When the blood service came round looking for volunteers, John and his colleagues were told they’d be given time off to make their donations, so he decided it was too good an opportunity to miss!

He says, “I’ve continued to be a blood donor all these years as I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy reasonably good health and I wanted to carry on doing a good deed. Since the age restriction has been removed it has meant I’ve nearly reached my 100th donation which I am delighted about.” l

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Donor23-p21 F1.indd 1 17/06/2010 14:16


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]

Glad to keep on givingI made my fi rst donation about 50 years ago, and it is so good that you have allowed us ‘mature’ folk to carry on donating. Each time I give blood now, it is in remembrance of my late husband who had myeloma and needed blood and platelets. MRS B A EDGE, LINCS

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thank you for being such a loyal and committed blood donor. It is heartening to hear that so many of you are continuing to donate since the removal of the upper age limit last year.

Water was the solutionI just gave blood for the fourth time, and it’s thanks to a glass of

water! I felt sick and faint during my initial attempts to donate, but at my next try the nurse gave me a glass of water. We just chatted and I was surprised when she said I was fi nished. I never felt sick at all. That glass of water sorted the problem. Now when I give blood I am offered a drink as I walk in. I’m glad I didn’t give up and am determined to keep giving blood.HENRIETA BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Lots of you have written to say how helpful drinking water just prior to your donation has been.

One and hundred and one donationsOn June 17th I will be making my 100th blood donation and my 18 year-old-son, Jonathan, will be making his fi rst one. We would be interested to know if any of your readers have celebrated a similar special family donation.MRS ANNA HART, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Congratulations on reaching such a milestone and for encouraging your son

to become a blood donor too. We would be interested to hear of anyone who has made a milestone donation at the same time that a family member or friend gave their first pint.

Marking a half centuryWith the lifting of the age limit, I have now managed to donate for 50 years having started on Jan 1st 1960 (about the only New Year’s resolution I have ever kept). For us older donors, perhaps years of donating becomes more of a motivation than the number of donations. I am not suggesting another layer of awards but perhaps in The Donor you could have a 50 year club or something similar. T. GREENE, NOTTS.

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thank you for a good suggestion but as I am sure you are aware we are a bit short of space, especially with so many committed life-savers continuing to give blood these days.

Always grateful to donorsIn 2003 I gave birth to my beautiful

Can I give blood?I’m keen to start giving blood again but need to fi nd out if I had a

transfusion during an operation on my ankle last year. Your helpline advised me to check with the hospital, but no-one there has got back to me. Can you help?ANN COX, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: We appreciate how keen you are to resume donating, but we aren’t in a position to speed up the hospital’s reply. We do hope to see you at a blood donor session in the near future.

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.)

��

Donor23-p20&22 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:15


Behind The SceneS

Keeping supplies on trackKeeping supplies on trackeach year, our drivers travel over 8 million miles and carry 2 million units of blood to hospitals up and down the country

It’s a 24 hour- a-day, 365-day-a-year job keeping blood supplies flowing between donors,

blood banks and hospitals. And it’s down to our transport team of 300 people and fleet of 240 vehicles to keep the system running.

But before anyone donates there has to be somewhere where people can give – and, as most of you donate at local venues such as church halls, community centres and leisure centres, we have to bring the session to you. So our drivers are used to delivering equipment and staff to wherever they are needed. We aim to make venues as widely

available as possible so that no matter where you live there should be a place nearby where you can give blood.

Wherever you have donated blood, the next step is to take your donation as quickly as possible for processing. So your blood pack is put immediately into a transport bag ready for collection by one of our drivers. These ‘cool’ bags keep the packs at a constant

temperature, ready to be taken back to the local blood centre in an estate car or van.

To keep supplies moving, drivers make pick ups halfway through the blood donor session, as well as at the end. There is also a limited time that the blood can be stored like this, so the two collection times are important to avoid blood collected at the beginning of the day being left for too long. Our new Bulk

Donor23-p23to25 F2.indd 1 17/06/2010 14:18


OVER TO YOU

22

son. Unfortunately I had a massive haemorrhage. I was in surgery for five hours and given 16 units of blood. I was very poorly and transferred to ICU with further complications. My family was told I was not going to make it. Here I am today and not a day goes by without me knowing how lucky I am and I thank the people who saved me. The donors are complete strangers to me but they are in my heart and thoughts always. Please keep doing

the wonderful service that you provide, you’re all life-savers.LISA, LANCASHIRE

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: Thank you for taking the time to write to us and recognise those unknown donors who helped save your life.

Walking for MatthewI thought that you might be interested in a walk I am doing with a friend in memory of my son

Matthew, and in aid of the blood service. Details can be found at www.centrillium.force9.co.uk.The walk will start on June 13th at Imperial College, London, where Matthew studied for his Masters, and finish on June 30th at Areva in Stafford, where Matthew worked.ANDY SMITH, BY EMAIL

EDITOR’S RESPONSE: We were sorry to learn of your loss but wish you every success with the walk. We hope the weather is good for you.

IS IT TRUE THAT…We reply to some of your questions about donating

Q I find the fact that the staff are not allowed to touch my arm after they have cleaned it very difficult. Is it not possible that I could sign a waiver to say that I am happy for staff to touch my arm?

AUnfortunately, to cut the risk of infection and contamination of

the blood donation that might put a patient’s life at risk our staff can’t touch your arm after cleaning.

Q I go to India, Africa and South America every year, but I am not

allowed to give blood for six months after. You accept my word about contact with Aids sufferers, but do not accept that I have never been bitten by any insect in these countries. You could have had many more pints of blood from me. Why not change?

AOur guidelines ensure that donated blood is as safe as

possible. We need to be very careful that donations from travellers returning from malarial countries don’t pose a risk to patients. Bites can happen without someone being aware of them, hence the precautions. We need to ensure we have adequate blood stocks to meet

demand, but we have to balance this out carefully with safeguarding the recipient, in this case by adhering to our malaria guidelines.

QI think I am sensitive to the Chloraprep wand used to

clean arms. I had no problems with the cleaning method used at my previous 36 donations. Why can’t the same method be offered alongside Chloraprep? I have read that Chloraprep allergies are quite common so I imagine I am not alone.

AIt does seem as if you are allergic to the wand, so unfortunately we

must ask that you refrain from donating as this is the only preparation that gives the level of safety from contamination we need to protect patients and that has the approval of our regulatory organisation (MHRA).

QWhen an appointment is made what time does that

actually mean?

AAn appointment time is the time we expect you to arrive. Once

you have read the welcome folder, we aim to see you for your health check and then take your donation as quickly

as possible. We review the way we manage our queues regularly so that we can keep waiting times to a minimum for you.

Q I find it frustrating that every time I donate I have to go through the whole rigmarole of saying where I’ve lived and when. Information from a long time ago is not going to change, only that from more recent years. You could at least put the date on the form of my last malaria test (or any other test) and state there is no need to go back further than that. Could you consider changing this?

ADetailed information about overseas travel and medical

history is always required for first-time donors, or those returning after a break. However, the changes being introduced to the Donor Health Check questionnaire later this year mean that we will be asking regular donors the questions relating to the time since your last donation in a slightly different format. If you have travelled abroad since your last donation we will have to check for existing long stay or malarial infection. l

Donor23-p20&22 F2.indd 4 17/06/2010 14:15

SUMMER 2010 THE DONOR

our Liverpool centre, the most direct route may be through the Mersey Tunnel under the River Mersey. The Mersey Tunnel Police would be notified to provide an escort. Similarly, deliveries from the Brentwood centre might need

25

emergency deliveries is a reminder that there is someone waiting for that blood at the end of that chain.”

Our liveried emergency delivery vehicles have distinctive reflective yellow and orange chequered patterning as well as blue light bars and sirens. Although not all our vehicles have high visibility markings, most of our vans can be used for these runs as they are equipped with lights and sirens.

All drivers undergo special training before they can do the emergency deliveries. They must obey the rules of the road, but are allowed to go through red lights when necessary and safe to do so. If the emergency delivery is from

to use the Dartford Crossing over the Thames. The crossing control room would be phoned and a lane number provided to the driver, so they can cross the bridge quickly.

Beating bad weatherDuring the widespread flooding in 2007 there was severe disruption to the transport networks. But routine deliveries were either on time or less than a couple of hours late and all emergency deliveries got there on time – even if it meant our collection teams having to wade through chest high water! Even during the heavy snow earlier this year, drivers showed great determination in making sure supplies got through.l

On the move Our Bulk Movement Vehicles (BMV) are 7.5-tonne lorries designed to move up to 1,000 units of blood at a time between centres and they allow us to connect our network of blood banks to the hospitals they supply.

The temperature-controlled BMV works at night moving donations collected during the day to one of our testing and processing centres.

They work at two different temperatures. Their first journey carrying the donated whole blood is at a temperature of 21°C. This helps manage the change in temperature from body heat to how the blood is stored in its final processed state.

Once unloaded, the BMV has its temperature reset to 4°C (the standard temperature for storing red cells to maximise their shelf life).

After the blood has been through the labs, checks are made to make sure the BMV is at the correct temperature. If all is well it is loaded with up to 12 roll-cages full of blood products ready to travel to one of our issuing centres. l

The 2007 flooding didn’t stop supplies from being delivered

Donor23-p23to25 F2.indd 3 17/06/2010 14:18


Movement Vehicles (BMV) (see box) also give us the option of moving an entire day’s donations to the nearest blood centre to be tested and processed.

Geoff Cotter, our transport manager, says, “We are like veins and arteries stretching across the

country. Our fleet works non-stop, moving blood wherever it is needed providing the link between you and the patient.”

Most blood is issued to hospitals on a regular, routine basis. There are daily deliveries made by our temperature-controlled vans to provide hospitals with everything

they need for their patients whether they are people undergoing surgery or cancer patients. Occasionally hospitals may also require more blood of a certain type and this can be arranged as a so-called “ad-hoc” delivery outside of the more routine deliveries.

Emergency deliveriesSometimes a hospital may need blood urgently. When the call comes, the driver on duty has a time limit to get to the hospital, from getting his vehicle ready and

the blood on board to making the journey. Every hospital has a target time from our centres, so medical staff know how long they’ll have to wait for the blood.

Geoff says, “Drivers know that every link in the operation is important and that making the deliveries is part of the chain that helps save lives. But the urgency of

“There are daily deliveries made by our temperature-controlled vans to provide hospitals with everything

they need”

Mobile units Our Mobile Donation Units (MDU), sometimes referred to as bloodmobiles, are used up and down the country. They bring the venue to the donor, and provide either three or six bed units. The larger units work out of Bristol, Colindale, Tooting and Liverpool and, once parked and stabilised, are hydraulically expanded to increase the width from 2.55 metres to 3.55 metres. During refurbishment of the West End donor centre a six bed MDU was set up nearby. l

Our distinctively marked emergency delivery vehicle

Above: A 1968 news cutting showing the Brentwood fleet. Right: Our new liveried transit vans play a vital role in transporting blood

Donor23-p23to25 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:18


Bright future for stem cell therapyBright future for stem cell therapyfrom circulating blood in adults and from cord blood (found in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born).

Doctors will choose the source depending on the patient’s needs and the availability of stem cells.

Cord bloodWe have 15 years expertise in collecting cord blood, banking and research. Cord blood is rich in blood-making stem cells which can

help patients whose bone marrow is not working properly due to disease or medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The blood is also used in research to help develop new treatments.

Donations to the NHS Cord Blood Bank are given on a voluntary basis and can potentially help any patient in need of a cord blood transplant.

Last October, the NHS Cord Blood Bank, one of the world’s most advanced, opened a new collection

site at St George’s Hospital in Tooting and moved into a state-of-the-art storage facility at our new centre in Filton, Bristol. The bank is the fourth largest FACT-Netcord accredited bank in the world, with more than 15,240 donations banked for therapeutic use and a target of 20,000 donations by 2013. It also has the second highest percentage of rare tissue types, critical for doctors trying to find a suitable match.

For many years, large registries

The 300th unit of life-saving cord blood was issued by the NHS Cord Blood Bank on 22nd April to a London hospital. An increase in voluntary cord blood collections means there are now better odds than ever of finding a match for patients.

The 100th unit of cord blood was issued in August 2005 and the 200th in April 2008. The fact that the 300th unit has been issued just two years later shows the success of our aim to increase NHS cord blood collections by encouraging mothers to donate their babies’ cord blood.

The NHS Cord Blood Bank collects at five hospitals in London and the South East, all chosen for their broad ethnic mix. They are Barnet General, Northwick Park, Watford, Luton and Dunstable and St George’s in Tooting. Collecting in these areas means the bank receives a wide variety of tissue types, increasing the chances of a patient finding a suitable match. l

300th unit of life-saving cord blood

of unrelated donors willing to donate blood stem cells (either as bone marrow or from blood) were the only way of finding a suitable match for patients. Cord blood banks were set up to complement these registries.

Looking aheadThe future for other stem cell therapies is exciting. They may be used to repair or replace damaged tissue, reversing illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Scientists hope that by studying stem cells they will soon be able to gain vital information about things that go wrong in a stem cell which can lead to disease, and develop better prevention and treatments.

We will continue our work with stem cells and, by leading the 10-year Blood Stem Cell Strategy, we will provide the Government with the best advice for making sure that these life-saving new treatments are available to all the patients who need them. l

A cord blood pack

Donor23-p26&27 F2.indd 3 17/06/2010 14:22


A ground-breaking plan to provide more blood stem cell transplants for seriously ill patients

is being led by NHS Blood and Transplant

STEM CELLS

Bright future for stem cell therapyBright future for stem cell therapy

In February the Government appointed us to lead a team of experts to create a new

10-year strategy for providing life-saving stem cells to patients who need stem cell transplants. The group is called the Strategic Forum and it will carry out the first UK-wide, expert-led review to make sure that stem cells donated from unrelated donors, including those from cord blood, are available to patients with leukaemia and other blood disorders.

What are stem cells?Stem cells hold great potential for treating a wide range of diseases and disabilities. We all have

these special cells which have the potential to replace diseased cells and take over their function. There are many different types of stem cells and each one can give rise to different tissues such as skin, nerve, muscle and bone, as well as blood.

Blood stem cells hold the key to curing serious blood disorders such as leukaemia and aplastic anaemia, as well as inherited conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and beta thalassaemia major. These diseases arise because the sufferer’s blood stem cells (in their bone marrow) are not working properly. By having these cells killed and replaced with donated stem cells, patients can often make a full recovery. The new

stem cells simply move into the patient’s bone marrow and begin making new blood components – red cells, white cells and platelets. This is called a haemopoietic (blood forming) stem cell transplant.

Where do donated stem cells come from?A stem cell transplant is often called a bone marrow transplant. But stem cells can be obtained not only from bone marrow, but also

An autologous transplant takes stem cells from the patient’s own body. They are usually collected when a patient is in remission following chemotherapy or other treatments. The stem cells can be used soon after they are collected or they may be frozen for future use. An autologous stem cell transplant is sometimes referred to as “stem cell support” as the stem cells are from the patient’s own body and are not transplanted from a donor.

An allogenic transplant uses donated stem cells. The donor is often a close relative of the patient, such as a brother or sister where there is a chance of a close match (see James’s story p12/13). Sometimes unrelated donors are used if a close match can’t be found in the family. l

Using stem cells for transplant

A stylised view of a stem cell surrounded by red blood cells

MED

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Donor23-p26&27 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:22

advocates support and link with our blood collection teams across the country through sharing information from donor contacts.

Q What does your day-to-day work

involve?

A A typical day can involve the

team handling up to 100 pieces of communication, including complaints, queries, suggestions or praise. We then contact the person best suited to provide a response. For example, if a donor queries why they cannot give blood due to a recent change in their health, we may ask a senior nurse

to give them a more detailed explanation.

Q How do you and your team actually improve the service

for donors?

AIf we receive a complaint, we try and put ourselves in

the donor’s shoes so that we can provide an individual response that suits the person. Through our surveys we know that donors want clear explanations and want to see that we’re committed to improving the service. Together with our colleagues that’s what we aim to provide.

Q What type of complaints and suggestions do you receive?

AThey vary, but the most common complaints currently

are about the time taken to give blood and appointment availability. Thanks to our appointments system, waiting times have fallen, but take up has been so successful that in some areas it can be difficult to get an appointment at peak times. Your letting us know can help our planning and we are looking at increasing the number of sessions we hold in busy areas. We’ve also listened to donors who’ve said they wanted more drop-in spaces at sessions.

Q How do the complaints/suggestions come in?

AFeedback comes by email, letter and phone. Our

policy is to acknowledge all correspondence within three days, respond individually by phone if possible within five days, and with a final response, if needed, within 20 days. Our recent complaint-handling survey showed that donors prefer to be personally telephoned, which we try to

do. The Department of Health approach to customer feedback is ‘listening, responding, improving’ and we are working to make this approach a reality.

Q How important is staff training for this type of work?

AI believe ongoing training is the key to motivation

and job satisfaction. I’m really pleased that six of our team have completed their NVQ level 2 award in customer service. All our department staff take part in a specific induction programme and we encourage them to visit blood donor sessions where possible to meet donors face to face to hear about their experiences.

Q How do you like to unwind after work?

AI’m a keen follower of rugby and a member of my local

pub’s charity committee in Bolsover, Derbyshire, where I live and where I also take questions about blood donation!

Q What is it that makes people carry on giving blood?

AGiving blood makes people feel good about themselves,

because they have done something worthwhile for someone else. This is a great motivator in itself. And in line with donor feedback, we have removed the upper age limit so that donors can go on giving blood as long as they continue to be in good health.l

Making sure donors are heard


“If we receive a complaint, we try and put ourselves in the donor’s shoes so that we can provide an individual response that suits the person”

Andrew with some of his team

All feedback is very welcome and you can contact Andrew and his team via our helpline 0300 123 23 23 or email [email protected] or write to NHS Blood and Transplant, Customer Services, Colindale Avenue, Colindale, London, NW9 5BG. There is also a leaflet at sessions and on the internet that explains our Compliments and Complaints policy. l

Donor23-p28&29 F2.indd 3 17/06/2010 14:25

Every day we get feedback from you, our donors. Head of Donor Advocacy, Andrew Pearce, works with his customer services and donor advocacy

teams to make sure your comments are heard and that we offer you the best service we can

MEET THE EXPERT

donors’ needs. We hear from donors in a

variety of ways – directly, from complaints and compliments, and from surveys with face to face feedback, supplemented by research through questionnaires. These all give us important information to help improve our services for donors.

Q When did you join NHSBT and what were you doing

before then?

AI started working here in 2001 as a customer service facilitator.

A major part of my working life has been in retailing, which has given me a real understanding of what customers want and expect. Donors are even more important than customers, but I’m convinced the same principles apply. The better the service we provide the more likely that donors will want to return.

Q How big is the donor advocacy team and where

are they based?

AThere are 15 people in total in our team. Our core team

which deals with correspondence is based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. The three donor

Making sure donors are heardMaking sure donors are heard


Q What’s the difference between donor advocacy and customer

services?

A Customer services collects all the blood donor and

public feedback that comes into the organisation, to ensure it is dealt with in a timely manner and that donors get the best possible response when they contact us.

Donor advocacy is about representing the voice of the donor and helping our understanding of

Andrew with some of his team

Donor23-p28&29 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:25

CROSSWORD

Complete the crossword. The letters in the red shaded squares spell out a word related to blood. Send the word on a postcard or letter together with your name, address and daytime phone number to: Crossword Competition, The Donor, NBS, 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 August 2010.

ACROSS4 Dismissed out of

crease (7)6 Above-average

performance in exam (5)

9 180-degree change (1-4)

10 Fungus or chocolate ball? (7)

11 Carers deputising for parents (11)

14 Packing material (11)17 Mean, median or

mode? (7)19 Satellite of Saturn (5)20 Japanese dish (5)21 Love story (7)

DOWN1 Outlying district

for residents (6)2 Change the words

of (4)3 What provides

resistance to disease and toxins (6,6)

4 Imogen or Una? (6)5 Keystone State (12)7 Nickname for

William II (5)8 Level within

hierarchy (4)

12 Book by Frank McCourt (3)13 Spiritualists’ session (6)14 Squeeze or crush (5)15 Area covered by something (6)16 Low voice part (4)18 Colour of unbleached

linen (4)

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTION

WE HAVE A WINNER!Congratulations to Ann Eastham, Chorley, Lancs, who correctly answered last issue’s crossword. The correct answer was: HOLLY BERRY. (With apologies for marking two “Os”on the grid.)


Donor23-p31 F1.indd 1 17/06/2010 14:47


West Nile VirusWest Nile VirusASK THE DOCTOR

QWhat is the West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae. Part of the Japanese encephalitis (JE) antigenic complex of viruses, it is found in both tropical and temperate regions. It infects mainly birds, but also some mammals, including humans and horses. The main route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito.

QDo you test blood for WNV?

We do not currently have a test for WNV, which is why we ask donors who have travelled to an affected area to wait for 28 days before donating.

QWhen I go to donate blood why am I

questioned about West Nile Virus between 1st April and 30th November and not at other times of the year?The virus is transmitted through mosquitoes. They require warm days to be active and therefore transmission of WNV does not occur in the winter months.

QWhat are the symptoms of WNV?

Mild infection symptoms include a fever, headache and body aches (often accompanied by a rash and

swollen lymph nodes). Symptoms of a more severe infection are a headache, high fever, neck stiffness, sleepiness, disorientation, tremors, occasional convulsions, coma and paralysis. Severe infections are much less common and death is rare.

Q Which countries are affected by WNV?

The United States, Canada and north east Italy (broadly speaking north of Rimini and east of Parma) are affected. If your visit is between 1st April and 30th November, we ask you to wait 28 days before donating. During the rest of the year you may donate as soon as you return as long as you have been well. If you have been diagnosed with WNV or had symptoms suggestive of WNV, we ask that you wait six months before giving blood.

QCan I catch West Nile Virus when I donate

blood?You cannot catch any blood-borne infection when you donate blood.

QWhat is the risk of getting West Nile Virus

from a blood transfusion?We take great care to ensure that donors who may have caught

WNV do not give blood. As a result, there have been no cases transmitted by a blood transfusion in this country.

QWhat about malaria? Can you still donate blood

following a holiday to a malaria risk destination?It depends on where donors have lived before and whether they have ever had malaria. It is best to call the donor helpline on 0300 123 23 23 to get the most up-to-date advice.

Q Can you get malaria from a blood transfusion?

As with WNV, we make sure donors who may have caught malaria do not give blood. We also test blood from people who may be at risk after visiting malarial areas. Thanks to these precautions, there have been no cases of malaria being transmitted by a blood transfusion in this country in recent years, although it remains a small but very real risk. l

Our doctor, Sue Barnes, answers your questions on West Nile Virus

More informationTo find out more about how travel may affect you donating please call our donor helpline on 0300 123 23 23. l

Donor23-p30 F2.indd 2 17/06/2010 14:27

INFORMATIONJust 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.ukWe 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

Sunshine, holidays: there’s no shortage of distractions during the summer. But it can easily lead to a shortage of blood.

Please don’t let it happen this year. And please don’t leave it to someone else. Book a summer appointment now at blood.co.uk

Donor23-p32 F1.indd 1 17/06/2010 14:44

Documents

The Donor - Summer 2010