22 replies to this topic

[Funky Drummer]

Donating Blood


Many people on this forum are likely to be registered blood donors. If so, good on you! Kepp donating regularly, PLEASE! Blood stocks in the UK are at an ALL TIME LOW and donors are vital in hundreds of life-saving operations every day.

For example...

• 3 teaspoons of blood can save a premature baby's life
  
• A road traffic accident can require around 40 blood donations
  
• A leukaemia patient may require 100 transfusions during the course of their treatment
  
• Scottish hospitals alone need 1,000 units of blood each day

A very small majority of people actually give blood and when you bear in mind the above figures it is clear to see how important YOU could be in saving someone's life.

The process is simple and straightforward, and for those that don't know much about it, I shall explain now.

A medical questionnaire is the first stage: this is just to ascertain that you are fit and healthy enough at that moment in time to donate blood. If this is your first time, you will also have a confidential interview with a nurse/doctor to confirm your answers on this form.

If there are no problems with you on the form, the next stage is a small blood test. A drop of blood is taken from your fingertip and dropped into a small tube of Copper Sulphate solution. This is a very basic scientific test which measures the density of your blood. If your blood floats then it does not contain enough iron, therefore not dense enough and therefore you are not likely to be a good blood donor. (please note: this may be a one-off - please don't think that because this happens once that you can never donate). If your blood drops then well done! You can go on to the next stage...

...giving blood! An arm is chosen (usually turns out to be your writing arm as this has more pronounced veins so therefore easier to take blood from). In any case, this is negligible - it doesn't matter which arm you give from! You are plugged into a machine which is a fairly pain-free procedure - a short feeling of heat at a point on your arm, but that's pretty much it (in my experience anywawy!). They take just under a pint fro you which takes under 10 minutes. Even if you are having a "slow" day then they will stop after 10 minutes HOWEVER MUCH YOU HAVE GIVEN.

The final, most important stage, comes now - refreshments! A drink and some biscuits to boost your strength



If you are not already, and are interested in becoming a blood donor then please go to the following sites for more information:

England & Wales: www.blooddonor.org.uk
Scotland: www.scotblood.co.uk

These sites both have a wealth of information as to what giving blood can achieve, what criteria you have to meet to be eligible and also where donor sessions are currently taking place along with future donor session dates in your area.


Also please note that there are certain important "asides" to giving blood, such as make sure you have a substantial meal before donating! Many people do not do this and have problems whilst donating (dizziness, fainting, etc) because of it.

[Funky Drummer]

Donating Bone Marrow

PLEASE READ THIS


For EVERYONE here - just as life-saving as donating blood is donating BONE MARROW.

Bone marrow is a source of stem cells which are used in the treatment of leukaemia.

When someone is diagnosed with leukaemia, usually doctors will first take a sample from close family - parents, brothers, sisters and hope for a match. Unfortunately, a large percent of the time this does not happen and it is down to volunteer donors to provide a healthy supply of stem cells.

Nowadays, all bone marrow donor registers are merged, not just nationally, but internationally. In spite of this, there are still thousands of people looking for a match and none are available.

The criteria for being a bone marrow donor is much the same as for giving blood, but bone marrow registers are particularly in need of YOUNG, MALES and also of those from ETHNIC MINORITIES.

One of the major turn-away factors with becoming a bone marrow donor is the common belief that to donate, you must go through hours of painless surgery. Nowadays, this is not quite true. If you do appear as a match for someone then there are two options: one is a surgical procedure involving a two-day stay in a London hospital whereby a sample of bone marrow is taken from your pelvic bone. Some people liken the aftermath of this to being kicked by a horse, others report very little pain. The charity covers all loss of earnings over this period and any recooperation period as well as expenses down to London for yourself and a family member.

The other procedure involves a series of injections 5 days before the procedure to boost stem cells in your blood. You are then hooked up to a machine which takes the stem cells out of your blood and returns the whole blood to your body. This process takes a matter of hours, has minimal after-effects and no sort of overnight hospital stay.

The recruitment process is a similar, but slightly elongated version, to that of blood donors. In the first case, an application form is sent out to the individual wishing to sign up. This asks the usual medical history questions.

The second stage involves a small blood sample being taken. A sample pack is sent out to you and you should arrange an appointment with your nurse or GP. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE SAMPLE YOURSELF (although this may sound stupid, people have tried this in the past with, obvious, problematic results). This sample is sent off for analysis and in order to determine your bone marrow/blood details. You are then added to the register. Whilst you may never ever be called upon, one day you may just be asked to save someone's life. Equally, some people have come up as a match more than once and there is nothing stopping people donating on numerous occasions.



Please, please, PLEASE check out this site for more information: www.anthonynolan.org.uk


AS AN EXTRA:

You will notice on the above site there is a link to "organise a donor clinic." For people signing up as individual donors, they have to go through the process above which, whilst not an inconvenience, can take a few months because of postage times, etc. A donor clinic is basically a recruitment drive - information is provided beforehand and, people wishing to sign-up, turn up to the clinic and everything is done at once - initial questions, application form, medical questionnaire, blood sample, the lot.


If you think that you may be able to recruit a large number of people to the register in this way then please drop the organisers a line to see how they can help you out. They are used to doing them in a variety of locations, including schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, police stations, village halls, etc, etc, etc.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - even if you think that you may not finally go through with anything, please at least check out the sites (both blood & bone marrow) for more information. As the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service slogan goes:

You've got it in you to save a life

[Funky Drummer]

FINALLY - if anybody has ANY queries regarding this then feel free to post them on here and I will be only too happy to answer. I have a fair bit of experience as being both a blood donor and a bone marrow donor and would try to answer any queries as best I could.

If you would prefer to ask more discreetly then please feel free to PM me aswell. I will not divulge any personal information included in any PMs elsewhere.

[Lord Vader]

Pinned by me to hopefully let more visitors see this - review pin 29 Feb

[Funky Drummer]

Thanks Andy - much appreciated

[Pulpculture]

A baby I know has been born with no immune system and needs a bone marrow transplant. I am putting my name forward to see if I am compatible. (Incidentally I 'm cr*pping myself that I will be compatible). He's a lovely baby and I feel I have to do it as I would want other people to do the same if I or my daughter were in the same situation.

[JS]

A baby I know has been born with no immune system and needs a bone marrow transplant. I am putting my name forward to see if I am compatible. (Incidentally I 'm cr*pping myself that I will be compatible). He's a lovely baby and I feel I have to do it as I would want other people to do the same if I or my daughter were in the same situation.

I've recently been identified as a "level 2" compatable doner by the Anthony Nolan Trust, this means that I've just had some extra blood tests done and await the results. If there is still a match then I go for even more tests, even then is still only a slim chance that I will be exactly right for the patient in question. The blood tests are simple - just like giving blood, but with less fluid involved !

I have been told that there are two options now available if I am a match; the traditional needle in your hip operation under general anesthetic (2 or 3 days discomfort recovering in hospital) and a apherisis style extraction.

In the second one (apherisis style) you are injected drugs by a nurse over a 5 day period to increase your bones production of the relevant constituant of bone marrow - this then leaks into your blood stream, causing you to have a high count of this stuff (can't remember the name, sorry). Once this is done you sit on a machine, a bit like a dialysis machine, with blood leaving one arm and going back in the other. You do this for one or two 5 hour sessions over two days, and thats it.

I'm still tempted by the traditional option (needle in hip) if I am a match, as it will mean less hassle, and there are possible side effects with the drug injections - it has been used on about 900 people in the Uk so far (and many thousands in the US). However any operation under a GA is risky, so it swings in roundabouts.

My overriding thought about it is that whatever happens, however uncomfortable it is you are possibly helping someone to live ....

Incidentally, the reason I joined the list was because someone at my school needed a transplant - very similar to you, Pulp.

James

[Funky Drummer]

Good on the both of you, and the thing you can't remember the name of are "stem cells."

I guess I'm in the same boat as you two then - the reason I signed up to the list was because someone I went to primary school was diagnosed with leukemia about 3 years ago, first set of treatment didn't work so they were recruiting possible matches of bone marrow.

www.milliweb.net

[Woody747]

I donate blood regularly (every 3 months) and I'm on the Anthony Bone Marrow Trust list as well.

I emplore everyone to get involved in some way. A close family member (4 year old) was lost 4 years ago - that's what motivated me to do as much as I can.

Remember people, if you ever have an accident other people are "returning" the favour if you do give blood.

Regards,

Woody

[haggis]

As well as Anthony Nolan, you can now opt to join the Bone Marrow donor register of the National Blood Service. All you have to do is ask them next time you go to give blood and they will draw off the extra samples.

[AliB]

I donate about three/four times a year.
Do it people....

Ali

[MJP]

A baby I know has been born with no immune system and needs a bone marrow transplant. I am putting my name forward to see if I am compatible. (Incidentally I 'm cr*pping myself that I will be compatible). He's a lovely baby and I feel I have to do it as I would want other people to do the same if I or my daughter were in the same situation.

Are all these people that require the donated tissue in a single database? So that if i donate then i will be cross referenced against them all?

If so i would be happy to put myself forward after reading that comment.

I used to donate blood but stopped when Essex Blood service stopped giving a local anaesthetic injection prior to the blood needle going in, but think under these circumstances I will ignore that factor and arrange to give a sample.

Edited by MJP, 05 February 2004 - 09:26 PM.

[MJP]

However any operation under a GA is risky, so it swings in roundabouts.

There is an alternative method of anaesthesia available (I really hope this method could be offered for bone marrow extraction.... as its available for a lot of private surgery as an alternative to GA) called 'conscious sedation' where an anaesthetic is given to you that causes amnesia. I've had it for other surgery and you remain completely conscious through out the surgery but you are left completely amnesic afterwards.

It substantially decreases the risk of complications whilst under anaesthesia and is a better alternative to GA in most surgical cases.

The only negative thing about it is the amnesia! When I had it, I had to take a sitter with me ( a person to make sure i got home safely ) and I chose my father as he agreed to take time of work and come visit me. He said I spent the hour post operative recovery time chatting to the nurses and making jokes (i remember none of this) and that i led on the back seat of the car for the journey home with my eyes shut, but gave completely coherent instructions of how to drive to my house.... crazy stuff.... hours of being awake and no memory of what happened.

[JS]

I've recently been identified as a "level 2" compatable doner by the Anthony Nolan Trust

Just to let you know, the tests have come back as a positive match, so I am awaiting the next stage (final tests, which may or may not mean another blood test) to see whether I will be fully compatible with the patient. It looks as though it may be a real possibility that it will happen, getting a little bit scared now .... :smile:

James

[Funky Drummer]

Good on you smithj27! Hope it is all as successful as can be

[Funky Drummer]

Are all these people that require the donated tissue in a single database? So that if i donate then i will be cross referenced against them all?

If so i would be happy to put myself forward after reading that comment.

Yes.

If you join ANY register of bone marrow donors your details will be "merged".

This is now also done internationaly. When one record is searched, all inthat country are searched. If there are no matches, a search can be requested in another country.

[johndriver]

I passed all the test's , BUT they refused me to give by any method because i am classed as overweight...

I did mention that in general i am 'healthy' and that much of the 'overweightness' could be due to the fact that I 'used' to go to a gym 3/4 hours a day 6 days a week and am consequently of a large build but was told ermm no.... :sad:

Although it has spurred me back to a gym.... Although based on past experience, I will not be allowed to donate.. Although the vampires regularly suck lots of red stuff from me...

[Funky Drummer]

This must be something unique to the Blood Transfusion Service of England & Wales.

I have never heard of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service saying this sort of thing to a person unless they are clinically obese or are very unhealthily overweight.

[johndriver]

Nah it was the nolan trust who said it.


Hey, who am i to argue ? the bloke said that regardless it would put a strain on the heart that they cannot accept (not too old either)... I did mention about the aspheresis jobbie but it was a no to both. Maybe they've changed things. It was @2years ago..(i think )

[Jason]

My Wife donated stem cells about 8 months ago. The six month report on the recipient is she is doing really well. Just like to say a big well done to both concerned.

[pH_14]

As I said, let's park this for another thread if you want. Long debates over the subject will detract from the original message and probably will discourage people from reading it in the first place.

Quite happy to carry on elsewhere, though.

Wholly agree.......

If you CAN give blood, PLEASE do so

The best gift you can ever make and so easy to do.

[Sidious]

Wholly agree.......

If you CAN give blood, PLEASE do so

The best gift you can ever make and so easy to do.

I think on that note, this discussion will be closed.

It has been pinned to raise awareness of the issue of donating bone marrow, not to form a Gay Rights debate.

I'm going to remove off topic postings accordingly.

Darren.

[David]

FROM PULPCULTURE, 2 FEBRUARY 2004

I’d like to tell you all about a little boy I know who was born three days before my baby (back last August).
His name is Alexander. My wife nicknamed him Lockey (after his surname and it has stuck amongst his friends and family) He is very cute and is aged 6 months now. Over Christmas he developed a cold and couldn’t seem to get rid of it. After 3 weeks in hospital he got sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Great Ormond Street Hospital diagnosed that Lockey has no immune system (Severe Combined Immuno deficiency). This means the cold he caught, he cannot fight and get rid of. To this day he still has it. He is on oxygen feeds and a drip to try to increase his body weight. My daughter is about 25 lbs. Lockey is still only 12 lbs. Lockeys parents have some decisions ahead of them. I ask you to read two emails from his parents Carol and Colin…………
Well, we now know there are 5 potential donors (1 in the UK and 4 abroad) who are being contacted to come in for more tests. The consultant seemed disappointed by this as he hoped for around 10- 20 "broad matches".
Alexander needs some luck now as these 5 donors are only pre-matched against 6 of the 10 tissue markers required. They still need to match up against the other 4 tissue markers. With this in mind Carol and I are due for more tests this week to work out who will be more suitable as a donor should they use one of us. I can tell them this already but they insist on testing! My worry for Alexander is the severity of the chemotherapy required if Carol or I eventually donate bone marrow to him. Also, the initial recovery time in hospital goes up from approximately 6 weeks (for an unrelated donor match) to possibly 9 months. I don't want to think about this at the moment...
They have nearly tracked down the genetic defect in Carol which they would hope to correct with Gene Therapy when treating Alexander. So, gene therapy is starting to present itself as an option for Alexander - but this is yet to be confirmed. There are risks and benefits associated with both treatments (transplant or gene therapy) and we need to make a decision based on short, mid and long term risks. We will not be given more information until they know the unrelated donor situation. I understand this, as if we can find a suitable donor that is the best bet for Alexander.
Gene Therapy will mean Alex going in to a research situation - it isn't completely proven treatment yet as it is too new. However, I have found out that if it were unsuccessful he could have a transplant afterwards. But, I think there could be some long term risks we need to weigh up – likelihood of cancer, etc.
I have found out that bone marrow donation could mean (1) taking marrow from the hip under general anaesthetic (apparently painful afterwards) or (2) harvesting it from blood having been injected with hormones to help produce more stem cells. The later requires a set up a bit like a blood transfusion - they have got to be kidding! Either way I'll be unconscious, whether they knock me out or not...
Timewise I feel that he will be starting transplant treatment by
mid/late-March latest (as they are worried about his continued risk from infection) and if the unrelated donors don't match up he'll be starting chemotherapy by the end of February to take marrow from one of us. If this happens we will not get back home in March as we were hoping.
We are still staying in London in one of the Sick Children's Trust homes.
Latest email from them………
Hi Everyone.
Alexander continues to improve everyday. He is still on oxygen and is
having continuous feeds to try and improve his weight. He is sitting up now and to be honest we sometimes forget he is so ill as he looks so well, except for the tubes up his nose.
Well this has been a good week in some ways as Alexander is now back up to the weight he was three months ago (6 Kilos or approx. 12 lbs.) before infection set in. So, some progress there.
We had a long conversation earlier in the week with our lead consultant and a professor of immunology regarding gene therapy. Alex is definitely a contender for this, but we need to get approval from an ethical body which controls such research. We asked them to go for approval whether or not we actually do decide to use this.
They are unhappy about giving Alexander any treatment which involves high levels of chemotherapy just in case the virus he still has on-board takes hold, this rules out some of the options available and a bone marrow transplant of whichever kind will probably only provide a partial immune system for him. Still, he could have additional treatment later on when he is older and stronger.
We think it is pretty unlikely that we will find a 10-out-of-10 unrelated bone marrow donor now, so the options are likely to be gene therapy or taking marrow from Carol or myself. We should know more about this in the very near future. But, either way, the intention is to start some form of treatment soon. Our target date is still 17th March, it could be sooner depending on the results of the donor searches still underway.
In summary,
Full bone marrow transplant with a 10-out-of-10 unrelated donor needs
chemo. Risk of infertility. Should get a full recovery Half BMT from Carol or Colin with some chemo. Risk of infertility. Should
get a full recovery Half BMT from Carol or Colin with no Chemo. Will not get a full recovery.
Gene Therapy - No Chemo so no infertility - Should get a full recovery
Conundrum - A 10-out-of-10 unrelated donor usually means we will not be allowed to do the experimental gene therapy.
That's it for now. It is quite likely we will let you know exactly which treatment we will be using when we next write.
Have a good weekend.
Thanks for all the cards and text messages they are all much appreciated.
Lots of Love Carol and Colin
-----------------------------
In the mean time if you are interested in becoming a bone marrow donor.
- Ideally you need to be male aged 18 to 30
- They will take women and older men if they are a good match (Don't let the local doctor put you off)
- The Bone marrow can be harvested with an operation OR via something similar to a Dialysis machine.
- If you are still interested contact the Anthony Nolan web site and
download a form to take to your local doctor.
http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk

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