Hundreds of platelet donors needed in Manchester to help cancer patients  

New figures reveal that 53 new platelet donors are needed to donate platelets at donor centres in Manchester this year to help provide life-saving treatments for cancer patients. This World Cancer Day, NHS Blood and Transplant is urging blood donors who have blood types A negative, A positive and AB negative to consider switching to donating platelets.

Blood donors are being urged to make the switch to platelets to replace those who no longer donate so the NHS can continue to provide patients with this life saving blood product.  

The current number of dedicated platelet donors who donate at the two donor centres in Manchester is 739 but an additional 53 new donors are needed to come forward in 2023.

Platelets are gold-coloured cells which help blood to clot and one donation can help up to three adults or 12 children.

Most donations help people with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy to avoid blood-loss, but platelet transfusions also help people who’ve lost a lot of blood after an accident, organ transplant or surgery.

Platelets are needed for patients like Lynsey Gregory, 37, a teacher and mum of two from Wigan who had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).

Over the course of nine months Lynsey had four rounds of gruelling cancer treatment followed by a stem cell transplant from an unknown donor. Throughout this time Lynsey needed many units of platelets and blood to keep her well enough to sustain treatment.

Each spell in hospital receiving treatment meant time away from her husband Chris and their two children Theo – who was three at the time – and Tillie – who was just five months old when Lynsey’s initial symptoms started. 

Lynsey said: “Following a spell of bruising and a blood test I received the first call to say I needed to get to the hospital for an urgent platelet transfusion during the middle of the night while I was up breastfeeding Tillie. It was so much to take in and very frightening and at this point I wasn’t sure what was wrong. Following further tests, I then received my diagnosis.

“Treatment soon followed which meant weeks in hospital at a time, it was upsetting and confusing for Theo, he couldn’t understand why Mummy wasn’t going home.  It was hard, I have never felt heartbreak like that of leaving my children.

During her stay in hospital, Lynsey wrote a book to explain to Theo what was happening with her treatment and has published the book to help other families.She is now appealing for more people to register as blood donors to help people who are facing cancer. 

Lynsey continued: “Thank you to all the blood and platelet donors who give every day to help people like me. I didn’t know until I began my cancer treatment that blood and platelet transfusions would be such a vital part of saving my life and I can’t thank donors enough for their selfless act to a total stranger.

“When my platelets or blood levels were low I felt extremely tired and everything was hard work, it’s as though you can predict when your blood count is low before having blood tests to check. However after receiving the platelets or blood I would feel an increase in my energy levels helping me continue through treatments.

 “I’d ask everyone to register to give blood or for existing donors to find out how they can donate platelets – you will never know the full extent of what your donation means – a little gesture really can change someone else’s world.”

The current number of dedicated platelet donors in England is just over 13,000 but an additional 1,800 new donors are needed to come forward in 2023.

Platelets last just seven days after they’ve been donated.

Although men and women can donate platelets and there are no age restrictions, people need to be, or have been, a blood donor before switching to platelet donation. 

People can give platelets at two donor centres in Manchester:

• Manchester Norfolk House – Brown Street, Manchester, M2 1DA
• Manchester Plymouth Grove – Plymouth Grove, Manchester, M13 9LL

Daniel Clarke, Head of Component Integration at NHSBT, said: “Platelets save lives, and these donors are often the unheard heroes of the donation community. A negative, A positive and AB Negative are the blood types that are most needed because they suit most people who need a platelet transfusion.

“We are hugely grateful to our over seven hundred dedicated platelet donors in Manchester who already make the commitment to save up to 12 children’s lives or three adult’s lives every time they donate. Platelet donation is a precious gift of life and helps many adults and children get the best chance of recovery from cancer, amongst other things.

“If you’re already a blood donor it’s easy to find out if you are suitable for platelet donation, visit our website or speak to one of the team at your next donation. Or if you’ve never donated blood before, this World Cancer Day please take a few moments to visit blood.co.uk and register to become a blood donor.”

For more information about platelet donation visit platelets.blood.co.uk.

If you are suitable to donate platelets, we will contact you to let you know how you can set up your first platelet donation.