New blood donors required urgently

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Saturday 24th Jul 2004.

Hundreds of new blood donors are needed in Bradford to make up for the loss of regulars barred by new rule changes.

In April this year a ban was made on giving blood by anyone who had a blood transfusion since January 1980 because of a risk of the transmission of variant Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD) - the human form of mad cow disease.

Now two further groups are to be excluded from August - donors who are unsure if they have had a blood transfusion and donors who only give certain blood components, such as platelets, who have had a blood transfusion.

It means a loss of valuable blood donors at a time when stocks can dip low as many people are away on holiday or barred because of travel inoculations.

Penny Richardson, of The National Blood Service (NBS), said: "Yet hospitals in Yorkshire still need more than 1,000 donations every day to treat patients.

"Every donation helps to save or improve the life of a hospital patient, whether it's someone suffering from a serious blood disorder such as leukaemia, a person undergoing surgery or an accident and emergency case."

Bradford's Blood Donor Centre in Rawson Road, was the first in the country to collect blood components from donors using cell separation machines and is now one of the special clinics where platelets are donated. Managers at the centre are anxious to recruit current blood donors who would be prepared to become a platelet donor to make up for the loss of any regular donors these rule changes may bar.

If you would like to become a platelet donor contact the centre on Rawson Road on (01274) 308450. Blood donors are particularly needed at sessions in Baildon, Skipton and Cleckheaton in August. If you would like to attend contact the national donor helpline on 0845 7 711 711 or visit www.blood.co.uk

Donors can also attend the permanent clinic in Rawson Road, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 1pm and 2.45pm to 6.30pm.

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