Spring 2002 - National Blood Service

TheDonor
NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE NATIONAL BLOOD SERVICE
REMEMBER YOU
CAN FIND SESSIONS 0N
BBC2 CEEFAX P465
SPRING 2002 • FREE
Keeping good company
Company donor sessions show the way
The incredible journey
What happens to that blood once
it’s left your arm
Plain sailing
for Andrew
CHANGES FOR
THE BETTER
Good news from the Donation Review

WELCOME & CONTENTS
Hello again, and welcome to
the fourth issue of The Donor.
In this issue we’re updating
you on The Donation Review
– the changes you can look
forward to, and when to
expect them (pages 8 & 9).
We hope you’ll agree that
the new donation process will be a great
improvement for everyone involved.
Making it easier for donors to give blood is
one of our main aims. But we know you’d like to
find out more about where your blood goes and
the patients who receive it, so in this issue you
can read about both. You’ll find the stories of
young Andrew and baby Katelin on pages 3 and
16, both of whom owe their lives to blood
donors. And on page 11 there’s a fascinating
look at what happens to your blood once it’s left
your arm!
Giving blood is one thing, but donating bone
marrow is a rather more complicated process.
If you’re interested in becoming a bone marrow
donor – and there’s a shortage of volunteers for
these life-saving donations – turn to page 14 for
the funny and poignant account of one person’s
experience as a bone marrow donor.
Finally, we hope very much that no one is
now getting extra copies of The Donor sent to
their home. It has taken considerable effort to
“de-duplicate” addresses (read how we did it on
page 4) but if you’re still experiencing problems,
do please contact us on 0845 7 711 711. Enjoy
this issue, and keep your letters coming in.
Carlene Dias
Editor
GOT SOMETHING TO SAY?
We welcome your personal stories, questions and comments.
Write to Carlene Dias, The Editor, The Donor, National Blood
Service, Holland Drive, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4NQ.
Or contact us via our Website, where you can also find out
more about the National Blood Service.
The address is www.blood.co.uk
The National Blood Service is run by The National Blood Authority
which is a Special Health Authority within the National Health Service
NHS
In this Spring issue
It’s looking good pages 8/9 A perfect match page 14
3 NEWS FEATURE & NEWS
Latest news and stories from blood donors and recipients
across the country
6 CAMPAIGN NEWS
Find out about the latest national campaign from around the UK
7 MAKING A DIFFERENCE – NEAR YOU
As well as national campaigns, local advertising and promotion
plays a key role in getting donors to attend sessions
8 CHANGES FOR THE BETTER
After more successful trials, we’re confident the new donation
process will make sessions better for everyone
10 KEEPING GOOD COMPANY
How companies like Ford are making a real difference to
blood donation
11 THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY
Everything you ever wanted to know about what happens to
your donated blood
12 OVER TO YOU
Catch up with readers’ letters, plus health Q&A’s and webwatch
13 MY LIFE …SESSION PLANNING
We go behind the scenes and find out how sessions are planned
14 A PERFECT MATCH
One man’s life saving story
15 THE INFORMATION CENTRE
Where to contact us for your donor queries
16 MIRACLE BABY
She almost died at birth, but thanks to an emergency
transfusion, baby Katelin is now thriving
The cost of producing, printing and posting each copy of
this magazine is less than the price of a first class stamp.
The Donor is published by the National Blood Service. Reproduction in
whole or part is strictly forbidden without the prior permission of the
National Blood Service.
NBS Project Liaison Caroline Osborne. Editorial consultancy, writing,
subbing, art direction, design and production Keith Hodgson, Hilary
Joseph, Nikki Racklin at Ant Creative (020 7609 6955).
Reproduction – LDPG (London). Printed in the UK by Apple Web Offset Ltd
on paper from sustainable forests. Cover photograph: Steve Lyne
2 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 Find out where to give blood visit www.blood.co.uk

Today he’s a happy 11
year old who loves to
sail. But as a toddler,
Andrew Bardsley
developed leukaemia
and nearly died.
It was doctors - and
donors - who helped
saved him
The first clue that Andrew
was ill came when he
was 18 months old. “He
became very clingy, and started to
have tantrums,” says his mother
Delia. “I knew it was more than
teething, so I took him to the GP.”
She referred him directly to the
Royal Manchester Children’s
Hospital, where he was admitted
two days later for observation.
Blood tests were done, but
everything seemed normal. One
doctor suspected Andrew may
have meningitis, and so his spinal
fluid was tested.
The results were devastating.
Andrew had acute myeloblastic
leukaemia, a rare and often fatal
STEVE LYNE
NEWS FEATURE
Andrew is hoping for the
all clear, meanwhile it’s time
to go sailing with his brothers
and sister
which stopped him becoming
anaemic. Overall, Andrew has
received blood products from more
than 200 blood donors.
Autologous transplant
After his last course of
chemotherapy, Andrew had a bone
marrow transplant. Because there
was no match for Andrew, the
only option was for him to have
an autologous bone marrow
transplant. This involved extracting
his own marrow, cleaning it of
cancerous cells, and then returning
it to him.
Andrew now has a sister,
Felicity, and she is a perfect tissue
match for her older brother. Delia
has had blood from her daughter’s
umbilical cord stored so if Andrew
were to ever relapse, stem cells
from his sister could be used to help
him fight cancer.
The family now live in Suffolk,
where Antony runs a bookshop.
Family and friends and the medical
Plain sailing
for Andrew
STEVE LYNE
form of childhood leukaemia.
Delia and her husband Antony
were told that Andrew was
dangerously ill, his spinal fluid
and bone marrow were saturated
with leukaemic cells. Without
immediate treatment, Andrew had
only three to four days to live.
If he did pull through the first
few days he would still only have a
20 per cent chance of survival.
Andrew, with his family, at their
bookshop in Suffolk
Andrew started his first course of
chemotherapy on the day of
diagnosis.
Essential transfusions
Against all odds, Andrew survived.
He received five courses of
chemotherapy in all during 1992.
These drugs work by killing off all
the fast-growing cells in the body,
leukaemic cells and healthy red
blood cells and platelets alike.
Following each course of
chemotherapy, blood transfusions
were given to Andrew. Without
these, chemotherapy would have
been useless.
Andrew spent months in
hospital and had over 40 platelet
transfusions to help his blood clot,
and 20 whole blood transfusions,
team who treated Andrew are
hoping he will get the “all clear”
this summer, ten years after his last
course of chemotherapy. Delia,
who like her husband, is a regular
blood donor, says, “ If it weren’t for
donors, Andrew simply wouldn’t
be alive now. They are marvellous.”
● The NBS is always looking to
recruit blood donors as potential
bone marrow donors. Ask for
details at your next session.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are found in blood and bone marrow. They can mature
into any type of blood cell: red, white or platelets. Some patients
with bone marrow disease, such as cancers and leukaemia, can
benefit from a stem cell transplant. Doctors remove their diseased
bone marrow and then replace it with transplanted stem cells. These
then grow a new, healthy population of blood cells.
Most commonly, after treatment and when relatively free of the
disease, donors will have their own stem cells collected to make
the transplant. Alternatively stem cells can be donated, either by a
suitable family member or an unrelated volunteer donor who has
been matched from a bone marrow donor panel.
Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 3

NEWS
When Billy met Jordie
Young patients at the
children’s ward at
Northampton General Hospital
were delighted when NBS
mascot Billy Blood Drop paid
a visit.
Many children on the
ward had received blood
transfusions, and among
them was Jordie Graley
As a donor carer at the
Sheffield blood donor
centre, Julie Taylor knows that
every blood donor is a
potential lifesaver. But that
really hit home in December
when donors saved her own
father’s life. Brett Taylor, aged
77, received 13 pints of blood
after collapsing through
internal bleeding. He was so
grateful that he wrote this
(pictured above) who’s had
chemotherapy for a condition
known as acute lymphoblastic
leukaemia.
Jordie, aged 5, needed
three blood and three platelet
transfusions, which were vital
in helping her cope with the
intensive therapy she received
to fight the leukaemia.
Brett says thank you
letter from his hospital bed to
the Sheffield blood donor
centre to say thank you.
“Dozens of people from
all walks of life came together
to save my life. Among those
were you, the blood donors,
who unselfishly give the
greatest chance one can give
to another - the chance to
survive. Many, many thanks
for your precious gifts.”
What a difference a day makes!
Football and rugby fans
helped the NBS celebrate
Make A Difference Day
(MADD) with some fabulous
fun in the South East and West.
MADD is an annual day of
community action which
highlights how volunteers
really can make a difference.
The NBS was keen to use the
day as a way of thanking all
loyal blood donors, as well as
encouraging more people to
become donors.
The players at Bristol
Rovers FC (pictured right)
showed off some fancy
footwork during a special fun
day at the Memorial Stadium
which also featured fair
ground rides, games, clown
shows and face painting.
Panto stars meet VIP’s
Pantomime stars met VIP’s
(Very Important Patients)
at children’s wards around
the country at the end of last
year. Comedy duo Cannon
and Ball met patients
at Queen’s Medical Centre
in Nottingham and local
favourite Bobby Knutt
dropped in at the Chesterfield
and North Derbyshire Hospital
with the other stars of
Cinderella.
Musician Rick Wakeman
and BBC Radio Cornwall’s
Blood Brothers
Platelet donors Stefan
Wolosiansky and Phil
Hampton are two truly
amazing lifesavers who have
clocked up more than 1000
donations between them – in
less than 12 years.
Stefan has made 523
platelet donations and Phil
502 at the Plymouth Grove
Players from Gloucester
RFC (pictured below left)
supported the Kingsholm
donation session. Back at their
stadium Billy Blood Drop
dropped in to see fans during
their Saturday match. At
half time Billy released 80
balloons to mark the number
of units of blood that need
to be collected in Gloucester
each day.
Local schools helped recruit
new donors and after
Gloucester secured a convincing
win, fans were feeling
generous which meant the
NBS recruited 150 new donors!
Leyton Orient Football
Club and Dagenham and
Redbridge Football Club
teamed up with the NBS
and the Sickle Cell and
Thalassaemia Association of
Counsellors (STAC) to
Emma Lloyd visited the Royal
Cornwall Hospital, while
Southampton General Hospital
welcomed Home and Away
star Kate Richie and the cast of
Dick Whittington.
Peter Pan flew into
Sunderland’s Royal Hospital
(pictured below), and children
in wards in Leicester,
Newcastle, Taunton, Yeovil,
Cheltenham and Plymouth
were also thrilled to meet their
local panto stars who helped
to cheer them up.
Apheresis Centre in
Manchester. Not surprisingly
these two best friends and
work colleagues call themselves
“blood brothers”.
Now their efforts have
been recognized at an Awards
Ceremony at Manchester
University where each
received a cut glass decanter.
promote MADD.
Matt Porter of Leyton
Orient said: “I think I speak for
both clubs when I say that we
are delighted to be part of the
National Blood Service
campaign. I hope that by
promoting positive awareness
of giving blood, it will
encourage new donors and
help save lives.”
In the UK about 700
people suffer from
Why less
is better!
The Donor magazine is
sent to over 2 million
donors. Sometimes more
than one donor lives at an
address, and pushing two,
three or more copies
through one letterbox
doesn’t make sense.
So, for this issue we have
changed the mailing - if
more than one donor shares
a family name and lives at
the same address only one
copy will be sent. Who will
receive that copy? It’s a
random choice from the
group of names.
Please, when you get
your copy, pass it on to other
members of your family. If a
donor with a different
surname also shares your
address (perhaps a lodger, or
friend) that person will still
get a separate copy.
Despite our efforts, it is
possible that some
addresses will still receive
multiple copies - or that
certain donors, who would
prefer to get a personal
copy, won’t - perhaps those
at shared addresses (hostels,
halls of residence for
example). If this applies to
you please call the donor
helpline - 0845 7 711 711
and let us know.
Thalassaemia and 12,000
from Sickle Cell Anaemia.
Both conditions often require
blood transfusions.
Because of minor
differences between the
blood groups of various
races, patients may create
antibodies to all donations
except from their own ethnic
group, hence the need to
attract donors from all
sections of the community.
4 THE DONOR SPRING 2002
You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465

LOUTH LEADER
Get me to the session on time!
Mark and Elizabeth
Randles from Crewe in
Cheshire showed rare
dedication as donors last
August. They decided to go
straight from their wedding
reception to a donor session!
The couple had both
received an invitation to
donate on the same day as
their wedding. Elizabeth, a
staff nurse, knows how vital
blood is and so the newly
weds didn’t hesitate – they
went along to the Alexandria
Suite at Crewe FC where the
NBS team ensured that they
could donate side by side.
Husband and wife Jack
and Janice Holmes (pictured
below) from Louth in
Lincolnshire are another
dedicated pair. Together they
have donated a remarkable
1065 units of blood and
plasma – over 500 donations
each. Now, both have been
presented with the NBS
Decanter to mark these
milestones.
Jack made his first
donation in 1951 during his
RAF service, and his last – the
541st - just before his 70th
birthday last September.
Janice, whose total stands
at 524, is still an active
donor and aims to equal
her husband’s achievement
before she retires as a donor.
Satellite hit squads
The NBS sometimes has
trouble holding sessions, in
areas that lack large halls. And
although hundreds of sessions
take place at the workplace,
only companies with a
minimum of 400 employees
can guarantee a ‘day’s worth’
of blood.
The NBS is tackling these
A first for Lincolnshire
One of TV’s most famous
baddies turned over a
new leaf when he helped
launch the NBS’s first
Lincolnshire based donor
team recently.
Previously, Sheffield teams
made the trip across to collect
blood. The new team will
allow the NBS to collect more
Awards are go..........
On 14th January 2002,
the new national awards
policy was launched.
Now, regardless of where
you donate you will receive
the same awards at the same
problems with a pioneering
new technique, successfully
piloted in Brighton and Bath.
A three person team will
use a small room in a company
building, containing three
beds. This mini ‘satellite’ team
will provide a 20+ unit top up
to the ‘mother team’s’ daily
collection figures.
from sessions across the
county.
Christopher Chittell, who
plays Eric Pollard in
Emmerdale, also donated at
the session in Horncastle. He
said, “Normally getting anything
out of Eric is like getting
blood out of a stone, so this is
a coup for the NBS!”
milestone donation. Initial
feed back from donors has
been positive.
Donors seem to particularly
like the new badges
and pen.
Pay up - or the teddy gets it!
As part of Children in Need
Day, staff at the Tooting
Centre declared it an
offence to leave a teddy at
home without supervision.
To cope with the expected
influx of bears, the centre
created a teddy bears crèche
in the Session Planning
department.
Soon staff were busy
ministering strong doses of
TLC to over 80 teddies. But
there was panic when a surprise bear-napping
raid was mounted. A militant ‘Donor Suite’
group claimed responsibility and demanded a
SCREENWATCH
News of the NBS on TV
Coronation Street
Blood donation was a key
story in a recent episode
of Coronation Street.
Granada contacted the
NBS who were happy to
provide a mini Mobile
Donor Unit. Two staff,
Vinnie Moulin and Carole
Hynes, from Manchester’s
blood collection teams,
were extras on set for the
filming.
The Street’s Nurse
Molly and Doctor Matt
(Jackie Kington and
Stephen Beckett) were key
characters in the scene and
took great interest in
blood donation. During a
break in filming, musician
Midge Ure (pictured
above centre) came for a
tour of the Coronation
Street set.
Stephen made an
appearance on GMTV on
the morning of the TV
screening. Later he and
Jackie came to Norfolk
House, Manchester’s
Donor Centre to give
media interviews. Word
perfect on blood facts and
figures, they encouraged
people to become donors.
Don’t forget the Helpline number 0845 7 711 711
Vinnie and Carole donated
their acting fees to the
NSPCC and Save the
Children.
London’s Burning
Blood donation was one of
the stories in London’s
Burning, and the NBS was
asked by London Weekend
Television to help with the
story line to make
everything realistic.
Taking fictitious donations
turned out to be a
much longer process than
in real life.
The donation scenes at
the fire station, which were
expected to last for just
three minutes when
screened, took a remarkable
seven hours to film.
Keith Gould, donor
attendant and NBS
technical advisor for the
NEWS
£2 ransom for the safe return of each bear.
Luckily all teddies were returned safely, and a
total of £240 was raised.
day, returned to the
Tooting Centre with a
much fuller appreciation
of the professionalism
that goes into making a
TV programme.
Thanks to the actors
who posed for pictures,
and to LWT who donated
£50 to the Sickle Cell
Society. The episode
certainly shows a cheeky
side to blood donation!
A&E
More donation drama,
this time with the hit
medical series Always &
Everyone (A&E).
The NBS in Manchester
were asked if they would
take part in an episode
and provide a ‘blue
light’ delivery vehicle
for a scene involving
Martin Shaw and Connor
McIntyre, pictured below
with transport manager
Bernard Allen, in the car.
A character is attacked
and urgently needs many
units of blood.
The hospital runs out
and has to call the NBS
for more supplies, so
an emergency ‘blue
light’ delivery is duly
dispatched.
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 5

CAMPAIGN NEWS
Getting there... with a little help
‘It doesn't matter how you get there,
please get there any way you can’. That's
the theme of our year-long awareness
campaign to promote the need for new
and regular blood donors.
Donors go to extraordinary lengths to
ensure that they don't miss their
appointment to save a life. This year we
intend to highlight some of the fun,
innovative and downright bizarre ways
people get to their donation session and
encourage others to follow their
example.
Making sure blood is always available
is a serious business, but that's not to say
Paddling his own canoe
Billy, pictured here on
Ardingly Reservoir,
Haywards Heath, demonstrates
how far he’ll go just
to ensure he doesn’t miss
his next session.
With floods becoming
almost an annual feature in
many parts of the country,
On the right
tracks
Billy Blood Drop proved
that he really does ‘Get
there any way he can’ in
Blackpool recently when he
hitched a ride on one of the
town’s old-style trams for a
ride along the seafront. Billy
was joined by two of
Blackpool’s fire fighters,
Dane Eastham and Mick
Taylor, who took time out of
a rescue drill on the famous
beach to support the
campaign.
6 THE DONOR SPRING 2002
Billy is taking no chances. He
said, “It makes a pleasant
change to paddle to session.
I have recently spoken to
my Scottish cousin, Billy
McBlood, who mentioned
that he was preparing to
don his skis to ensure he
gets to his next session.”
A funny thing
happened on
the way to the
ferry…
There were a few strange
looks when Billy Blood
Drop boarded the Red
Funnel Ferry, bound for the
Isle of Wight. Billy,
accompanied by Frostie the
Snowman, was on board to
promote the new
campaign.
The NBS is already well
known at the ferry
terminal. Terminal Officer
Kevin Hat said, “ We often
see the NBS vehicles on the
ferry, transporting blood to
and from the island. Events
like this bring greater
awareness of what the
Service does.” Passengers
should look out for posters
and leaflets on board all
Red Funnel ferries.
that you can't have fun while you are
saving lives!
November 26th 2001 saw TV Presenter
Anneka Rice and the Cuskern's (see back
page) launch the campaign. Anneka said:
‘The NBS does a vital job in providing our
hospitals with the life saving blood they
require. I am hoping that this campaign
will raise the profile of the importance of
giving blood to ensure patients get the
life-saving treatment they need.’
London's Transport Museum provided
a traditional red double decker bus for the
launch, inviting people to get 'on board'
and give blood.
It’s quicker by train
Billy was busy hopping
on and off trains and
trams in Wolverhampton
and Birmingham to
promote the campaign
message. He wasn’t too
busy though to meet Virgin
Rail staff who had been to
donate at Birmingham’s
New Street donor centre.
Getting their skates on
W
e’re not recommending that all our donors do this
but… Staff at the JMC travel company call centre in
Bradford got on their roller blades, skateboards and
scooters to get to a recent donor session at their offices
double quick. It brought a whole new meaning to the
campaign message “It doesn’t matter how you get
there…”
Now in their second year, the sessions are organised by
JMC employees Louisa Coggings and Carly Durrans
together with the NBS. Total donations made by JMC staff
so far are 170 – and many of these are from new donors.
Midlands gets the message
Comedian Nick Hancock from BBC’s ‘They Think It’s All
Over’ teamed up with NBS mascot Billy Blood Drop to
launch the campaign in the Midlands. Nick, a Stoke on
Trent lad, visited Ward 110 of North Staffordshire Hospital
and soon had the young patients there in different kinds
of stitches. Nick, whose own children were born at the
hospital, delighted everyone with his jokes and antics.
The media soon picked up the story, and Nick gave a
series of newspaper, radio and TV interviews, where he
showed an impressive knowledge of blood. Thanks to him
the campaign message to give blood regularly has well
and truly reached the Midlands!
IN BRIEF
Skegness: Billy Blood
Drop dropped into Butlins
in Skegness to spread the
campaign word and
celebrate the park’s first
ever blood donor session.
He felt right at home
among those Redcoats!
Liverpool: From pints of
milk to pints of blood -
Tommy Callagher, Express
Dairies city centre milkman,
is helping to support the
NBS campaign with posters
It’s better by bus
Billy Blood Drop took an
open top bus tour
around Oxford to bring
shoppers the campaign
message. The bus, kindly
loaned by Guide Friday
Tours of Oxford, was
decked out in balloons and
banners advertising upcoming
donor sessions in
the city.
on his float advertising the
blood donor centre on Lord
Street in Liverpool. He’s also
handing out leaflets with
the pints.
Stockport: Billy Blood Drop
took to the stage with Toyah
Wilcox and the cast of
Aladdin to promote the
new campaign and publicise
blood donor sessions in the
Stockport area.
Bristol: Billy strapped on
his skis to get across the
new campaign message at
High Action Avon Ski
Centre and Gloucester Ski
and Snowboard Centre.
Local schoolchildren from
St Mary Convent School,
Worcester were on hand to
pick up the pieces at
Gloucester whilst Bristol
Grammar School pupils
took time out of their ski
lesson at Avon Ski Centre to
give Billy a few tips.
Find out where to give blood visit www.blood.co.uk

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Making a difference - near you
National advertising is important, but NBS
teams and volunteers also work hard at local
levels to promote the ‘give blood’ message
The last thing we can afford
to be is complacent about
blood donors. That’s why
we put so much effort into raising
public awareness of the need
for blood.
Apart from using national TV
and radio advertising, there’s also a
lot going on behind the scenes to
turn potential blood donors into
actual ones.
Think local, act local
To a lot of people, becoming a
blood donor is not top priority. They
are often not aware there is a
session just down the road from
them. So to ensure we are visible
locally, we have a whole team of
people working hard on the
ground to make local communities
aware of the ‘give blood’ message.
These are the people you see in
your local high street recruiting
donors, putting up banners, placing
exhibition stands in supermarkets,
providing posters for shops and
attending local fairs and shows. All
this couldn’t happen without the
Campaigns such as
‘Please get
there…’, although
nationwide, can
also make
a strong impact at
a local level.
goodwill of the shop owners,
companies, sport centres, local
councils and others. Supporting this
team is the hugely valuable army
of willing volunteers who help in
whatever way they can.
Of course, media coverage is
vital to us. Local press, TV and
radio, in features or news, all help
us to get the message across to
the public.
Our marketing and communications
teams run localised publicity
AL MACCRAFFREY
campaigns, mainly using donor,
patient and celebrity stories from
the area to capture the media
interest. Our news pages are full of
examples of just such activity.
Campaigns such as ‘Please get
there…’, (see opposite page)
although nationwide, can also
It’s good to text!
make a strong impact at a local
level. Take the ‘Around Britain
Challenge’. Nigel Rogoff and Dave
Abrutat, both RAF ex-service men,
aim to circumnavigate mainland
Britain by kayak and handcycle,
and attract 100,000 new blood
donors into the bargain. Nigel lost a
leg when he injured himself
Rakesh Vasishtha (below), from
NBS corporate communications,
at a local radio station promoting
activites in the area
Imagine your mobile phone texting you a message to remind
you of the date of your next session. Well, we have been
testing the idea with students, by text messaging (SMS) those at
appointment only sessions at universities and colleges, to
remind donors to attend.
Initial results indicate that texting has increased the
donor attendance by up to 30%. Jenny Kenway, a
student at Kent University said “I am always on the
go, and my mobile is my lifeline. Now with SMS
messaging I can remember to take time out to give
blood.” The best way it works is on appointment
only sessions, so at the moment it has a limited use. But in the
next year or so we hope to develop the system further.
Watch this space.
Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711
skydiving and Dave was paralysed
in a road accident. They both owe
their lives to blood donors and
want to give something back.
The launch will take place at
Tower Bridge, London in May. Nigel
and Dave will travel over 3,000 miles,
and before they end up back in
London in September, they will have
stopped off all around the country,
raising awareness as they go - you
can’t get more local than that!
Looking ahead
We are looking forward to an
exciting year in 2002. Listen out for
the ‘history of blood’ to be
broadcast on Radio 4 in the
summer. Later in the year we hope
to broadcast live on Century fm
from a blood donor session.
These as well as many other
seasonal and special events are
being tied up with the ‘Please get
there.....’ campaign including the
London Marathon, Queens Jubilee,
the World Cup, Commonwealth
Games, London to Paris Triathlon,
Great North Run, Make a
Difference Day, University Freshers
Fairs and much more. Keep an eye
on your local paper for further
information.
Our local teams are always
looking for good blood-related
stories, or a helping hand
distributing posters and other
publicity material. If you would like
to help in your local area, then
please call the helpline on 0845 7
711 711.
NICK DIGGORY
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 7

THE DONATION REVIEW
As you are probably aware
we recently began a
top-to-bottom review of
the way blood is collected. This
Donation Review, as we call it, is
one part of a huge modernisation
programme aimed at improving the
NBS service to you and reducing
waiting times in particular.
As donors, you can look forward
to a generally more efficient and
pleasant service. “About time too”
you may be thinking, but it is not just
maintaining the clinical care of you,
the donor, that is important. We
have had our own team of quality
experts and external inspectors
continually monitoring and testing
these proposed changes, to ensure
the new process complies with
safety guidelines. Safe for donors,
safe for patients.
Changes to our blood collection
programme require full approval
from our various regulators and
comprehensive training in the new
procedures for all our staff across the
country. That is why these changes
couldn’t happen overnight.
Now, after extensive trials and
much consultation, checking and
testing, we’re ready to start rolling
out the new process.
Thumbs up for new process
We are delighted to report that
these experts mentioned above
gave the new process the thumbs
STEVE LYNE
STEVE LYNE
It’s Looking Good
Donors can look forward to shorter waiting times as we roll out our
new speedier donation process, starting this summer. Watch out for
health check forms coming to you by post before your sessions – and
other time-saving innovations
What do you think?
Elemay Parkes, a regular donor at the
Birmingham New Street NBS centre, is
impressed by the review. “Having the
health check sent out early is a good
idea. It will save time, and is a good way
for the NBS to communicate with
donors. I prefer the bed rest though –
it’s nice to get that little break before
going back to work! However, I know
some people don’t want to rest, so it will
be nice to have the choice. I do think the
staff are more helpful and attentive –
they’re very friendly, and sometimes
they bring me the cup of tea.”
Alice Arnold, a staff nurse at the
Coventry team, is also impressed.
“Management have really listened to
staff and donors, and the changes are
very positive. Donors are pleased
because they are in and out more
quickly. We’re pleased because we
aren’t getting complaints about
waiting times.”
up after attending our two live
sessions in October in Rugby and
Worcester. Almost all donors at the
trials (97%) thought the new
process was a definite improvement.
The changes, which we will be
starting to introduce from this
summer, include
● sending the health check
paperwork to you before your
session
● fast tracking regular donors
through the system
● working towards ending
enforced resting periods for
regular donors
● even improving refreshments!
Obviously we want you, the
donors, to feel the benefits of
the new donation process as soon
as possible.
The health check form
A health check form will start to
arrive by post from July along with
your invitation to donate letter. Full
Left: Sending out the health
check form to be filled in before
your session, will save time for
donor and staff
instructions will accompany the
form to allow you to complete the
paperwork in peace and quiet at
home. Remember, if you complete
it at home you won’t have to
register at session. If you forget the
health check, or lose it, we can give
you another form and offer
assistance at the session. But this
may slow things down for you.
This change means many blood
collection teams will be able to fast
track regular donors by streaming
The health check
form will start to
arrive by post from
July along with
your invitation to
donate letter
them separately from new donors
by the end of the summer. We hope
to have most of our teams working
in this way by the end of the year.
Working towards reducing
enforced resting periods for regular
donors we are examining if you
really need to rest on the bed after
your donation. If these trials are
successful and pass our tough
clinical requirements, we are
hoping that, after donation and
providing you feel fine, you will be
able to jump off the bed and have
your cup of tea immediately.
Let them eat... what?
The next stage will allow our teams
to make even more improvements
to our sessions, by looking at
refreshments and the broader
session environment. In fact, we’ve
been busy investigating what kinds
of refreshments donors prefer –
within our budget limits naturally.
At the live trials last year we
found some interesting variations:
over in Worcester donors had a bit
of a leaning for lemon puffs – stock
vanished on the first day. In Rugby
chocolate bars were the donors’ top
choice. Clearly we need more
extensive tasting sessions – well, it’s
a tough job but someone has to do
it. We will report in due course!
STEVE LYNE
We held live trial sessions
last autumn in
Worcester and Rugby and
invited donors to take part and
comment on the new donation
process. Feedback, of course,
was vital. We asked all donors
to fill in questionnaires before
they left the session to tell us
what they thought of everything
– from reception to tea.
Here’s a selection of the comments
staff and donors made:
“Sending the health check
questionnaire home works. In four
days of health screening I have not
come across one mistake.”
“I appreciated filling in the
health check at home. It was quiet
and I had time to do it, rather
than rushing at the session.”
Top: The trial in progress at Worcester. Above: Tracy
Wright, NBS Senior HR Manager, gave her first
donation at the session, pictured with Dr Michelle
Collins, Quality Assurance Manager, who is on the
validating team. Right: The aim is to make it quicker
for donors to get their tea and biscuits! Below (and
cover): Ron Phillips, who donated at the live
session, with Lisa Cornett who was also there
THE DONATION REVIEW
Going live!
“The first donation started eight
minutes after the session opened. That’s
great!”
“The team worked really well. Every
one is joining in.”
“Some donors filled out the health
check in blue ink. When we post it out we
need to make it clear it must be filled out
in black ink.”
Veteran donor Ron Phillips (pictured left
and on the cover) says he couldn’t believe
how quick the live trial session in Rugby
was. “I was in and out in 30 minutes,
perhaps less. I didn’t sit down at all until
the coffee! There was no waiting behind
people while forms were filled in, I just
moved quickly from stage to stage. The
longest part was the actual donation!
I liked a couple of other changes too and
the refreshments seemed to have been
improved – there was more choice.“
Lisa Cornett (pictured left with Ron
Phillips), an NBS training officer who
worked at the live sessions said, “I felt it
went really well, I think it will make
a difference to the way I work. I am
looking forward to when it gets put into
practice throughout the country.”
8 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465
Don’t forget the Helpline number 0845 7 711 711
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 9

COMPANY DONOR SESSIONS
Going along to your
local donor centre
needn’t be the
only place to donate
blood. Britain’s
workforce is also
being directly
targeted by the NBS
The NBS are organising highly
successful regular company
donor sessions, with the
active involvement of participating
companies, or ‘partners’.
Penny Richardson at the
NBS explains, ‘There are different
approaches to company sessions.
In many cases we are able to hold a
session on the company’s premises.
If this is not possible we can arrange
for the donors to attend a session
nearby, or in some areas we can use
our mobile donating unit.
Commonly known as the
‘bloodmobile’, these units, which
are specially built, are used now in
many parts of the country.’
Warley site three times a year. This
October, however, staff decided to
go one step further as one of the
workers was found to be suffering
from leukaemia.
Andy Taylor, Director of
Corporate Citizenship in Europe
for Ford, contacted Nicki Scott, at
NBS Brentwood, about the bone
marrow registry, and how Ford
could help.
Despite a tight schedule, the
NBS responded by turning the
standard October session into a
two-day event. Extra publicity
meant the session was an
outstanding success.
Extra posters were displayed
throughout the building, leaflets
were handed out, employees were
In good company
AL McCAFFREY
A recent company session at
Ford, organised by NBS’s Nicki
Scott (left) and Ford’s Andy Taylor
collected blood and raised bone
marrow donation awareness
Helping local stocks
‘For example, Airbus UK allow us to
come to their site at Broughton
near Chester three times a year, for
four days at a time.
‘At their sessions we’ve had
over a hundred donors a day, which
means that over the last year
they’ve donated 1271 units – that’s
enough to supply the local
Countess of Chester hospital for
two months!
She added, ‘We rely on
companies letting their employees
Reaching the parts
The “Mini Mobile” (pictured right) is one of our
new fleet of small, self contained, 3 bed units
capable of collecting 40 donations per day.
The vehicles were introduced last year to
enable us to visit areas where it had not been
possible to hold a donor session before. They
have been very successful at company sessions
and proved to be a hit at Retail Parks in
December, with donors dropping in for a break
from Christmas shopping.
In future we intend to open the doors to
weekend shoppers and visitors to local shows and
events. Feedback so far is all good. Donors love
them, staff enjoy working on them, and they are
so convenient – so look out for one near you!
have time away from their jobs to
donate. This does actually benefit the
company too, as it encourages a
community spirit and staff
satisfaction. We call it a partnership –
we’re working together to save lives.’
Penny describes some of the
different sectors which research
has proven are better (or worse)
at donating. ‘Local government
workers and national government
employees are amongst our most
regular donors – the taxman is
always very good! On the flip side,
people in marketing and sales are
least likely to be donors.’
Needless to say, Penny is more
than willing for past research to be
proved wrong.
Companies who are partners
include Rolls-Royce and Bentley
Motor Cars Ltd, Marconi plc, Glaxo
Wellcome plc, Barclays Bank and
Ford Motor Company.
One step further
The Ford Motor Company hold
blood donor sessions at their
The Mini Mobile, seen recently in Coronation Street
emailed and an exhibition stand
was used for maximum impact.
During the session itself, leaflets
were distributed to those
interested in becoming a bone
marrow donor in addition to
making blood donations.
The effort was definitely well
worth it. On the first day 123 people
attended and of these 105 gave
blood. On day two the turnout was
only slightly lower at 112. So a two
day session turned out to be well
worth all the extra hard work.
GET INVOLVED
Companies can encourage their
staff to get involved using
imaginative methods such as:
● wage packet attachments
● posters & leafleting
● visits by NBS marketing staff
● internal email campaigns
● screen savers
● website links
● freshly baked cookies for
donors throughout the day!
If your company would like to
get involved in company donor
sessions, call 0845 7 711 711 now
for more details.
10 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 Find out about company sessions call 0845 7 711 711

WHERE DOES YOUR BLOOD GO?
The incredible journey
There’s a complex journey
ahead for that unit of blood
– and the three samples
that accompany it. First everything
is bar-coded with its own worldwide
unique donation number.
Using this number, ‘Pulse’, the NBS
computer system, keeps track of
each unit of blood and its samples
as they are processed and tested.
Everything can be linked, via the
barcode, back to the donor and
his or her donation records.
One unit – three products
Next, the blood heads for one of
the ten National Blood Service
(NBS) Centres which handle testing
and processing of blood collected
in England and North Wales.
Most packs are processed to
make vital blood products, but a
small proportion are set aside as
whole blood for patients who need
it. All blood, though, undergoes
leucodepletion. The blood passes
through the diamond-shaped filter
that you may have noticed on your
blood pack. This reduces the
number of white cells, making
blood safer for recipients.
Next, centrifuges spin the
blood, still in its pack, at 3900 rpm.
The tremendous force separates
the blood into three layers – red
cells, platelets, and plasma (see box
for how the products are used).
Then the pack is put into a
special machine, which forces red
How your donation is used
OLLY BALL
Once it’s bagged and labelled, what happens
next to that 450ml of blood you’ve just
donated? The answer is, a surprising amount
cells out of the bottom, and plasma
out of the top, into separate packs.
The platelets remain behind.
Testing, testing, testing
What’s been happening to those
three samples we mentioned? While
the packs are processed, staff in the
centre’s testing laboratories load the
From your 450ml bag of blood we can prepare
● CONCENTRATED RED BLOOD CELLS – vital for treating severely
anaemic patients, accident victims, and patients undergoing major
operations
● PLATELETS – used to stop or prevent bleeding in patients with
leukaemia or those undergoing aggressive chemotherapy or
massive blood transfusions
● FRESH-FROZEN PLASMA – used after childbirth, during cardiac
surgery, and to reverse anticoagulant treatment. Also important for
patients undergoing massive transfusions.
When a rare donated blood type is identified, it’s prepared to
provide an “off the shelf” supply of products for patients who need
it. Typically these patients may have had many blood transfusions,
or had multiple pregnancies, and developed rare antibodies which
makes most donated blood unsuitable for them.
Phil Nuttall: up to half a million
blood products can be produced
from the units processed in
Sheffield
samples into huge computercontrolled,
automated machines,
which identify blood groups and
antibodies, and test for HIV, Syphilis
and Hepatitis B and C. (Positives for
these are extremely rare.)
You may be surprised to learn
that every time you donate blood,
the blood group is tested and
checked against your record.
The final stage
Only when all processing and
testing is complete and the results
fed into ‘Pulse’ and cross-checked,
is a label issued to the blood
products. “The label is the final seal
of approval, a safety guarantee,”
says Phil Nuttall, Processing, Testing
and Issue manager at Sheffield
NBS Centre.
Once labelled, the products
enter the Centre’s blood bank. Here
fridges, the size of an average living
NICK DIGGORY
room and larger, keep the red cells
fresh for up to 35 days, while
plasma is stored in freezers at
below –30ºC for up to one year.
Platelets are stored at 20ºC and
kept moving on special agitators to
prevent clotting. They are used
within five days of donation.
From there, blood is sent on to
local hospitals, or further afield if
another area of the country needs
“The label is the
final seal of
approval, a safety
guarantee,”
says Phil Nuttall,
Processing, Testing
and Issue manager
it. Trained drivers can “blue light”
blood fast from a blood bank to a
hospital.
The most amazing thing is how
many people can be helped by
donated blood. “At Sheffield we
process about 230,00 units a year,”
says Phil Nuttall, “and from this
we can make up to half a million
blood products.”
HEAD FOR HEIGHTS
If all the empty blood
packs used each year
were stacked on top
of each other,
the height would be
7.5 miles – taller than
Mount Everest.
You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 11

OVER TO YOU
This is your chance to tell us your news, views and interesting or unusual
donor stories. Write to Carlene Dias, Editor, The Donor, National Blood Service,
Holland Drive, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE2 4NQ.
Good advice
I have to thank the blood donor
sessions for my health. I had been
suffering from very bad health for
some years, but was still able to give
blood. At one session I was sent
away because my haemoglobin
was very low and advised to see a
doctor, which I did. The diagnosis
was that I have Coeliac disease and
now with much improved health I
am giving blood again.
J D BRINKMAN
GILLINGHAM, KENT
Editor’s Response We’re pleased
to hear that your health is much
improved and with your Coeliac
disease controlled by a gluten
free diet, are able to donate
again.
Down’s Syndrome
The article about Rebecca Taylor on
page 14 of the Autumn edition
states “because of her Down’s
Syndrome, Rebecca cannot have a
bone marrow transplant like other
leukaemia sufferers.” Can you
IS IT TRUE THAT...
please tell me why this is?
TINA SEATON
BRISTOL
Editor’s Response I would like to
clarify that in conjunction with
Rebecca Taylor’s medical team,
her family made the decision
not to put her forward for a
Bone Marrow Transplant. This
decision was not made because
she has Downs Syndrome, but
after taking into consideration
all her medical complaints and
the probable prognosis. I would
like to apologise if anyone was
misled by this article.
Healthy Option
I would like to suggest that ‘healthy
option’ snacks are included
amongst the refreshments
provided at donor sessions.
We answer some of your questions about donating
QI’ve just had a vaccination,
can I still give blood?
AYou must wait for 4 weeks
following a vaccination with
Q
a live vaccine. If the vaccine used
I
was killed, then as long as you are
feeling well, you can donate right
away.
Q
AAs I’ve just found out I’m
pregnant, can I still donate?
ANo, whilst you’re pregnant
and for 12 months after your
baby is born you will not be
allowed to give blood. If you
Q
contact our Helpline we can make My
a note on your record to invite you
to donate again once the 12
month period is over.
Q
AIf I’m a regular blood donor,
can I be a platelet donor?
AYes, you could be eligible to
be a platelet donor, if you are
blood group O or A, aged between
18 – 60, weigh more than 60kg
(9st 7lb) and have a high enough
BELLY-BUSTERS
What’s Billy’s favourite
ice cream?
Veinilla!!
platelet count. Ask at your next
blood donor session for a sample
to be taken for testing and they will
let you know from the results.
suffer from hayfever
every summer, should I
stop donating?
long as you feel fit and
well on the day of the session
you should be able to donate, even
if you have taken medication to
relieve your symptoms. Our
Helpline or the staff at the donor
session will be happy to advise you.
son has got chicken
pox, I gave blood last week
what should I do?
you become unwell in the
2 weeks following your
donation, or discover you have
recently been in contact with an
infectious disease other than a
simple cold or 'flu' please let us
know by calling the helpline on
08457 711 711
Our apologies for issuing the incorrect telephone number for enquiries about
Thalassaemia on the back page of the last edition of 'The Donor'. The help-line
number for UK Thalassaemia Society is 020 8882 0011.
For example, herbal teas,
unsalted nuts and raisins or
something similar.
LESLEY CAUSTON
EAST BARNET
Young and gifted
Could you please put this advert for
donors I have made in your
magazine. I got the idea to do this
from your brilliant magazine.
THOMAS WATSON (AGED 6)
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
Garden memorial
My late father John Edward ‘Eddie’
sadly died last February, having
been a donor for many years, giving
WEBWATCH
in excess of 60 units.
My mother decided to ask that
rather than send flowers, a
donation should be given to the
NBS and to be collected by Dr
Chapman. Dr Chapman, in turn,
proposed the construction of a
quiet garden in the grounds of the
Newcastle NBS headquarters,
which was very appropriate as my
father was a keen gardener.
So it was in August my mother
and extended family accepted an
invitation to the new garden, which
also coincided with a visit by my
sister and family from the USA.
Our family spent a very pleasant
and moving time at the new garden
and were made to feel very
welcome by the staff. The garden
was all we could have imagined,
and we understand offers a quiet
place for reflection for staff and
donors alike.
IAN MALAUGH
BOVINGDON, HERTS
Due to shortage of space not all published
letters are printed in full. Whilst we
welcome your letters, we cannot guarantee
a reply or to publish them. However,
any complaints raised will be responded
to via our complaints procedure.
Ever wondered how much blood we have in stock?
It's easy, just visit our web site www.blood.co.uk.
On each page of the site there is an icon on the right hand side
with the words 'current blood stocks'. Click on this icon and up
pops a bar graph with our national stock levels displayed in
'number of units' (a unit is just under a pint of blood).
You can also see 'days supply' for each blood group and some
line graphs displaying recent historical data. This information
is updated every day.
12 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 Find where to give blood visit www.blood.co.uk

MY LIFE: John Coburn
SESSION PLANNING MANAGER FOR ANGLIA
The session must go on
Organising a donor
session is a complex
business. There are
the venues to book,
the collection teams
to organise, not to
mention contacting
all the donors.
We meet one of the
session planners
If you consider that there are
five and a half thousand venues
all around the country and
about a hundred sessions per day,
not to mention ever-changing
requirements for amounts of blood
and specific blood groups, then
you realise that there's something
of a juggling act to be done!
Will enough people turn up - or
will there be too many donors? Can
the hall cope with the numbers?
How will the new TV adverts affect
numbers? (No one enjoys standing
in a long queue!)
John Coburn is the Session
Planning Manager for the Anglia
region, based at Brentwood, Essex.
Every four weeks, session planning
managers from around the country
meet to discuss such intricate
planning and collection issues.
Their aim is to try to ensure the
smooth running of the sessions for
donors and marry that with
STEVE LYNE
collecting the right amount of
blood on a weekly basis, to meet
the hospitals predicted usage.
John runs through his day
"At 7am I make my way to the
National Collection Planners
meeting in Bradford. I get a phone
call informing me the heating
system has broken down in the
venue we are using for our 1pm
session. As it's a bitterly cold day,
we need to hire extra heaters and
fast! Back at the office hire
companies are contacted.
Our meeting kicks off at 9am.
One of our agenda items is to
Supporting local sessions
Loop is based in the Bradford area and provides
‘telephone support’ for blood donor sessions
throughout the country – contacting donors to
encourage their attendance at local sessions and
to check that sessions are convenient.
These telephone reminders are made for good
reasons. For example, if a particular session needs
extra support, or we’re trying to get increase stocks of
a particular blood group, or perhaps we need to
inform donors that a venue or opening times have
changed.
We know many donors do like to be reminded by
telephone. However, if you would prefer not to
receive a call in the future, just tell our telephone
operator next time they phone you or ask at your next
session and we will take you off the list.
John Coburn, above left, ensures
the smooth running of donor
sessions and keeps other
relevant developments up to
date, through regular meetings
with other regional planners
discuss the mailing of invitation
letters, reminder cards and
telephone support for the winter
sessions. The NBS has a contract
with a mailing house who send out
these items of mail for us. We are a
large user of the postal service, with
over 8.5m invitation letters and
4.5m reminder cards sent out per
year, so planning at a national,
regional and local level is essential.
Don’t forget the Helpline number 0845 7 711 711
STEVE LYNE
John Coburn checks on out going calls with
operators at Loop, to help identify any problems
For example, to get the
same amount of donors
to turn up at a session, in
some areas of the country
500-600 donors are
invited, whilst in others
only 160 letters are sent.
Trying to predict how
many to invite, to get it
'just right' has turned into
some thing of an art.
On this particular
day blood stocks levels
are of concern. Levels
for group 'O' have been
steadily falling for some
time. We need immediate
action to ensure we
keep our stocks at an
ideal level. We arrange
to contact 'O' donors
that evening, who are
due to give in the next few days,
urging them to attend their session,
to try to alleviate any shortages of
this group around the country.
Our meeting moves on to
venues. To ensure that a session can
take place, we need to book our
venues well in advance. This also
gives donors as much venue choice
as possible. In some cases, this
means booking as far ahead as two
years.
Later that afternoon we visit
‘LOOP’, who provide a call
reminder service to donors on
behalf of the NBS. We spend some
time with the telephone operators
listening to the conversations, to
hear first hand comments from
donors on how to improve our
service. We end the day by drawing
up action plans for 2002. I wonder
what’s in store for tomorrow?
By the way, John’s son Sam did the
drawing we use on our children’s
'Dad' sticker... spot the likeness?
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 13

BONE MARROW
When Paul Eden’s first
wife died from cancer
in 1991, aged just 29,
Paul was eager to help people in
similar painful situations, and has
been a blood donor ever since.
Then, Paul became a bone
marrow donor. It was not a hard
decision, he says. ‘What is a simple
bone marrow operation if it means
you’re saving someone’s life?’.
What is bone marrow
Bone marrow is the tissue from
which blood cells are constantly
renewed. It’s found in the centre of
The chance to live
Bullying wasn’t causing the bruises on Gavin’s legs. It was far
worse than that – the tired, pale seven-year old was suffering
from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. His mother Jaz says, “When
the doctors first said ‘leukaemia’ I didn’t really think of cancer. It
was a massive shock when reality set in”.
The treatment was gruelling – in a childhood cancer ward at
Southampton General Hospital, Gavin began two years of
chemotherapy and radiotherapy. It went well, and Gavin went
into remission. But then he relapsed, and became so ill that
doctors suggested a bone marrow transplant. Gavin’s immediate
and extended family were tested for a match, but to no avail.
After a three-month wait a non-related donor was found, and
Gavin, now 11, had his transplant last November. The family hope
Gavin can go back to school in the Spring after his check-up, in
the meantime he is brushing up on his snooker skills.
Left: Paul, impressed by the care
taken when donating bone
marrow. Below: At home with his
wife Tracey and Megan, one of
their three daughters
the hip bones and other long bones.
Although chemotherapy can successfully
treat some diseases like
leukaemia and aplastic anaemia,
often the only cure is a bone
marrow transplant.
For about 30% of patients,
a matched donor can be found
from within the family. The other
70% have to rely on a volunteer
A perfect match
Last May Paul Eden became a bone marrow
donor. He was delighted he could make a
difference to a seriously ill patient
STEVE LYNE
donor, identified through The
British Bone Marrow Registry
(BBMR), a part of the NBS.
There are two ways to donate
bone marrow; one by removing
stem cells from your hip bones
under a general anaesthetic; the
second involves donating stem cells
from the circulating blood, a
process which does not require a
general anaesthetic.
Paul was surprised to find out he
was a possible match for a patient.
OLLY BALL
The first tests, which involved taking
two samples of blood for tissue
typing, took all of 10 minutes. A
medical ensured he was fit for the
operation, and a week later, Paul
received all the details.
He was very impressed with the
way the whole process was dealt
with. ‘There is no worry about costs
- all your expenses and loss of
earnings will be paid. Also, you’re
constantly asked if you still want to
go ahead with the donation. The
medical staff need to know that you
are fully committed.’
Little discomfort
‘I didn’t feel a thing during
the operation’, says Paul. ‘It was
only afterwards that it was
uncomfortable – in fact, every time I
sat down, it felt like I had a couple of
golf balls taped to my backside!
After a couple of weeks, the
discomfort eased off.’
Paul and his second wife Tracey
have been married for nine
years. Between them they have
three daughters, aged from two
and a half to twelve years old. The
kids were very intrigued to see Dad’s
scars after the op, and were
disappointed to discover there were
only two small holes!
‘I am proud of being able to have
helped someone,’ says Paul. ‘If you
ever have the opportunity to donate
bone marrow, and are a bit unsure,
think of the person at the other end
who doesn’t have a choice.
Remember, you’ve got the easy role!
It’s only three days in hospital out of
your life. Yet there is someone out
there who is depending on you to
save their life.’
FALL IN TROOPS
Our donors would fill
the British Army
16 times over.
Sign up with us now
and give blood.
NICK DIGGORY
14 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711

NBS INFORMATION
For all your enquiries the Donor Helpline number is
0845 7 711 711
ALL CALLS ARE CHARGED AT LOCAL CALL RATE
If you need any information about giving
blood, just call the Donor Helpline and staff
will answer your queries on:
• Where you can give blood locally
• Whether you are able to give blood
•Your donor session details
• Find out about how to become a bone
marrow donor
• Medical aspects of giving blood
• How travelling abroad might affect your
giving blood
• Any other general donor matters
Remember, you can call the Helpline to tell us if
you have moved house or changed employers
- we don't want to lose you!
Our Donor Helpline is open for general
enquiries 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
DON’T FORGET BBC2 Ceefax page 465 will give
you details of the next two days’ blood donor
sessions in your TV region.
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 the Donor Helpline to find out the
details of the centres listed here:
LONDON
NORTH
Edgware, Tooting, West End
Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield
NORTH EAST Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NORTH WEST Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester
MIDLANDS & Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Oxford,
SOUTH Stoke-on-Trent
SOUTH EAST Luton, Cambridge, Brentwood
SOUTH WEST Bristol, Gloucester, Plymouth, Southampton
We always need new donors. So please, if you are not a
donor, fill out the coupon opposite, place it in an
envelope and send it to National Blood Service,
FREEPOST, 75 Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 7YB, or call
0845 7 711 711 now to enrol as a blood donor.
WEB WATCH
We can’t afford to lose you!
NBS partner, ihavemoved.com are helping donors to let us know of
their change of details. Despite our best efforts we still lose touch
with about 70,000 donors every year due to change of address,
employer or circumstance.
By just 'saying it once', blood donors can stay in touch with NBS,
and also have the option to nominate other important organisations
of their change, free of charge.
ihavemoved.com now offers its customers the option to
nominate National Blood Service on all change of detail facilities via
their site and through third party supporters. We believe that this
will not only enable us to keep our loyal blood donors, but also
encourage those who may have been thinking about giving blood
to get in touch.
To register your change of details please visit www.blood.co.uk
or www.ihavemoved.com
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 opposite. MO6
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 National Blood Service (NBS) or its partners
may phone, write or otherwise contact me with details of local donor sessions. I agree to the NBS
holding my personal details on their donor database and processing this information as necessary
for the proper administration of the NBS
You can find session details on BBC2 Ceefax page 465
THE DONOR SPRING 2002 15

NEWS EXTRA
Katelin rides again!
Ten months ago Debbie
Cuskern and partner Glen
Brown arrived at North Tees
Hospital. Debbie was in labour, but
there were problems. She began
to haemorrhage, and a monitor
showed that the baby’s heartbeat
was too slow. Minutes later there
was no heartbeat.
It was a race to deliver the baby
before she had irreversible brain
damage.
After a few frantic minutes, the
consultant managed to deliver
baby Katelin with the help of
forceps. But she was not breathing
and her colour was lily-white. “She
looked like a china doll,” recalls
Debbie. A team of medical staff
whisked the baby away to the
other side of the room to try and
resuscitate her.
Debbie and Glen looked on
helplessly. Debbie says, “The team
kept looking at us and shaking their
heads. But ten minutes later the
doctor looked around and gave us a
smile that told us Katelin was alive.”
After a very quick assessment,
Katelin was found to have only one
third of her blood volume. No
wonder she looked like a porcelain
doll. She also urgently needed a
blood transfusion.
Debbie held her baby daughter
for a moment before she was taken
JOIN UP
The queue of donors
during one year
would stretch over
1,000 miles.Yours
won’t be anywhere
near that long, so go
and donate now!
NICK DIGGORY
Desperately short of blood after a traumatic
birth, everything looked bleak for baby
Katelin. But an emergency blood transfusion
turned a near tragedy into a happy ending
Above: Katelin is taken for a spin by Anneka
Rice at the London launch of our new national
campaign ‘It Doesn’t Matter How You Get
There, Just Get There’. The message to donors
is to donate regularly. Right: Katelin had a
great day out with her parents and older
brother Anthony, who says it’s great to have a
little sister to tease and play with!
Lend a helping hand
We've got a great way for Dads
to become truly involved in the
miracle of childbirth – and no
stretch marks!
Whilst your partner carries
your growing baby, what can
you do to help? Offer sympathy
and understanding? Help more
with the housework perhaps?
It is very simple and very
effective, give blood!
Each year around 250,000 –
a quarter of a million – units of
blood are needed in neonatal,
paediatric, obstetric and gynaecological
care.
As a donor dad, you may still
have to do more housework.
But as you pack the vacuum
cleaner away you'll know that
many thousands of families
each year owe their health and
happiness to men like you.
That's really helping.
to the hospital’s High Dependency
Unit. Debbie and Glen were given a
picture of their baby, and told it was
touch and go and that the next 48
hours were crucial. The consultant
told them that because of the delay
in getting Katelin breathing again
she would more than likely have
some, or possibly even extensive,
brain damage. But Debbie and
Glen stayed focussed on the fact
that their little girl was alive. “We
just prayed she would keep
fighting,” says Debbie.
Amazing recovery
Their prayers were answered.
Thanks to the hard work of the
medical team, and the emergency
blood transfusion, baby Katelin is
now a healthy 10-month-old little
girl who has suffered no brain
damage at all. Her consultant was
amazed by her recovery, and even
cancelled a brain scan. Katelin is
now developing at the rate of a
normal, healthy child but to Debbie
and Glen she is anything but
ordinary. She is their little miracle.
Having seen how blood saved
Katelin, Debbie and Glen wanted
to do their bit too. Glen and his
sister are now regular blood
donors, and although Debbie
cannot give blood until Katelin is
one, she plans to be first in line at
her local donor session when that
day comes.
Says Debbie,” It is so important
for people to know how vital giving
blood is and we are eternally
grateful to those donors who
helped to save Katelin’s life”.
● Read about our ‘Getting There’
campaign on page 6.
16 THE DONOR SPRING 2002 Become a bone marrow donor call 0845 7 711 711