I started to donate blood last November. Well, after my first donation I was contacted and asked If I would donate platelets instead of whole blood.
It turns out my blood type is quite uncommon, (only 7 in 100 have the type) and it can be given to anyone regardless of the recipients type.
I had never heard of platelets, but apparently they are used to help treat cancer and leukaemia patients who are on chemotherapy.
One donation of platelets will treat 3 adults or up to 12 children.
So I agreed, first time was not too successful as the machine was playing up, but tonight I successfully donated my first bag of platelets.
The process is painless, you are 'plumbed' into a cell seperator machine, your blood is taken, about 1/2 pint at a time, wizzed round in the machine and the platelets collected.
The blood is then mixed with citrate, an anticoagulant, and returned to your body. The process is repeated until the desired amount is harvested.
You do get a bit of a tingling sensation in your lips and fingers when the blood is returned, this is the effect of the citrate.
I have agreed to donate once a month, the process takes about 1 1/2 hrs.
So I feel quite chuffed with myself, the thought of my platelets helping a cancer sufferer left me with a warm glow when I left the hospital!
It turns out my blood type is quite uncommon, (only 7 in 100 have the type) and it can be given to anyone regardless of the recipients type.
I had never heard of platelets, but apparently they are used to help treat cancer and leukaemia patients who are on chemotherapy.
One donation of platelets will treat 3 adults or up to 12 children.
So I agreed, first time was not too successful as the machine was playing up, but tonight I successfully donated my first bag of platelets.
The process is painless, you are 'plumbed' into a cell seperator machine, your blood is taken, about 1/2 pint at a time, wizzed round in the machine and the platelets collected.
The blood is then mixed with citrate, an anticoagulant, and returned to your body. The process is repeated until the desired amount is harvested.
You do get a bit of a tingling sensation in your lips and fingers when the blood is returned, this is the effect of the citrate.
I have agreed to donate once a month, the process takes about 1 1/2 hrs.
So I feel quite chuffed with myself, the thought of my platelets helping a cancer sufferer left me with a warm glow when I left the hospital!
