Blood donors set to meet patients

A man who has donated blood products more than 500 times will meet patients he may have helped at an Oxford clinic.

Jolyon Cox, 56, and a host of dedicated blood donors will attend the National Blood Service's refurbished Component Donation Clinic's official ceremony.

The clinic is based at John Radcliffe Hospital. Mr Cox, of Eynsham, began donating blood platelets in 1985.

The tiny fragments of cells made in the bone marrow, are essential to stop bleeding and bruising.

Every time donors donate their platelets they are providing two to three adult doses or up to 12 small doses for babies and young children Spokesperson for the National Blood Service

A spokesperson for the National Blood Service said: "People who make whole blood donations still help thousands of patients every day, but four whole blood donations of the same blood group must be combined to provide one adult dose of platelets.

"Some patients who require a large number of platelet transfusions may develop antibodies.

"Because of this, they then require platelet transfusions from a few closely matched donors.

"Such platelets can only be collected using cell separator machines.

"Every time component donors donate their platelets they are providing two to three adult doses or up to 12 small doses for babies and young children."

Sick patients

The revamped clinic is more spacious and now boasts two upgraded cell separator machines which are much faster to use.

There are around 20,000 blood donors in the county and some 540 donors who visit the clinic to donate platelets.

Chemotherapy, major operations and severe infections can put a strain on the body's ability to produce its own supply of platelets, which is why some hospital patients need to receive platelet transfusions.

Because the life of a platelet is short, very sick patients often need to receive platelet transfusions every day in order to prevent serious bleeding.

The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals in Oxfordshire, including Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, request around 30,000 units of blood and blood products each year.