Bloody amazing

WHAT if someone were to tell you that you could help increase survival rates for cancer patients, people undergoing general surgery, pregnant women and accident victims - and all without opening your wallet? Even better, what if someone said you could do all this by relaxing for 20 minutes?

Giving blood can make a huge difference to patients battling a range of illnesses. Regular donor Jennifer Hollamby shows just how easy it is.

ENSURING donated blood is as healthy as possible is crucial, so my first step is to fill in a questionnaire about my travel history, health and medical history to ensure that I’m eligible to donate.

Anyone who has recently had an illness or infection or is at risk from hepatitis B or C or syphilis is not allowed to donate.

People who have recently had a piercing, acupuncture or who have travelled to countries where malaria is common are unsuitable, unless six months has passed.

The next stop is a quick prick of your finger, so the staff can extract a single drop of blood to make sure your iron levels are high enough. If they are, then you’re ready to go.

As the donation gets under way, tubes are filled for testing the blood and checking your blood type back at Manchester blood centre. The four main blood groups are O, A, B and AB, with most of us in the North having group O.

The blood then flows into a plastic pack of just under a pint.

It may sound daunting, but the staff take care to choose the right vein and I hardly feel anything during the donation, except a mild ache. And don’t let queasiness stand in your way. The prospect of a simple blood test used to give me the shivers, but the staff can cover up the needle for you and donor carers will reassure you and talk to you throughout.

Once the session is over, it’s time to refuel with a nice cup of tea and biscuit, but for my blood, the journey is only just beginning.


Donor to patient: the journey begins

The blood packs from Oldham are sent in refrigerated vans to the Manchester blood centre, where they enter a rigorous process of testing and processing.

During processing the blood is broken down to their individual parts: red cells, plasma and platelets.

The fourth component, white cells, are removed as a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of vCJD. The products are stored in fridges according to type.

As the blood is being processed, the three tubes taken at the start of the donation are tested for a whole battery of diseases — to make doubly sure that people who receive blood are not put at any risk.

One tube is used to find the donor’s blood type; the next tube is bound for the microbiology lab to be screened for HIV, hepatitis B and C and syphilis.

With the final tube, the staff are looking at the genes and carrying out more tests.

The blood is then labelled with its group, ready to be issued to hospitals so that the life-saving can begin.

The blood centre receive daily faxes from hospitals telling them exactly how much blood they need, and hospitals usually hold three to five days worth of blood on site.

In case of emergency, blue-light vehicles can transport blood to hospitals quickly and the issuing department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to make sure they can always supply hospitals when they need it.

The need for blood is constant, because red blood cells have a shelf life of just 35 days, while platelets last only five days. Plasma can be kept frozen for up to 12 months.

Last year, Manchester Blood Centre processed a staggering 205,802 units of whole blood, not just saving countless lives, but giving strength to people undergoing gruelling chemotherapy sessions, helping to give people suffering from terminal illnesses a better quality of life in their final weeks, and sometimes giving critically injured patients enough time for their loved ones to get to hospital and see them for one last time.

And for such a small gesture, that’s one big result.

Anyone aged between 17 to 60, weighing more than 50 kg (7st 12 lbs) and in general good health could start saving lives by becoming a blood donor.

For more details 08457 711 711 or visit www.blood.co.uk



TOP 10 USES FOR DONATED BLOOD

1 23 percent of the blood is used in general surgery

2 15 percent is for general medical use

3 13 percent is used cardiothoracic (heart and chest surgery)

4 11 percent is used in orthopaedics (blood and bone diseases)

5 9 percent is used in haematology (blood diseases)

6 8 percent is used in the accident and emergency department

7 6 percent is used for renal (kidney) care

7 6 percent goes to treating neonatal and paediatrics (children)

9 4 per cent of blood is used in intensive care

10 3.5 percent of blood is used in obstetric and gynaecology (pregnancy and childbirth)

Tomorrow, reporter Karen Doherty takes up the story and talks to people who have received donated blood