We all know that a blood transfusion can save a life…but what if your religion and upbringing doesn’t believe in transfusions, transplants and donation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses carry on their person an advance medical directive that states that they must not receive blood transfusions under any circumstances. When entering a hospital they should sign a form that reiterates this. Their religion does not absolutely prohibit the use of minor blood components and basically it is up to the individual to make the decision. They will sometimes receive transplants but it has to be a completely bloodless process.

I respect everyone’s beliefs, although I don’t know how I would feel if I knew someone who would refuse a transfusion that could save their life. It is a minefield. So, it was unusual to have a Jehovah’s Witness attend a session.

My colleague had just inserted the needle into a young woman who was donating for the first time when she said, “I feel like a rebel.” Puzzled, my colleague asked why. The donor was Jehovah’s Witness, yet she felt it was the right thing to do. She had told some of her family, but not her grandmother. She was only young and it was a huge decision for her to make. She felt it was the right thing to do. One question I wish I had asked her is….would she receive blood if she needed it? I’m sure she will return to give another donation and I shall ask her then. She was proud of herself and rightly so.

Most first time donors leave the session with a smile as they feel good after doing something wonderful, they have a photo they’ve taken on their phone of their arm to show their family and friends, they’ve checked in on social media and they have sticker. They know they are going to get a text telling them where their donation had been used….and again this is often shared on social media. The young woman who ‘rebelled’ can’t do any of that, but she told us she had done the right thing. What a huge and wonderful choice she made.

Everybody has a story to tell, some are short and sweet, some are complicated, some are sad and some make you laugh. There are some that make you stop and think and in listening and sharing their story you spread the wonder and love that keeps the pulse of humanity beating.

Today I met Cathryn as she came to donate blood. Cathryn shared her story with me as she donated and I hope I can do it justice here.

Cathryn gave birth to twin girls early and sadly both little girls died after birth. She went on to have another little girl and tragically she died after birth also. Some people don’t want to talk about such a sad loss, but others don’t want it to be a taboo subject. Her little girls have helped to change the world as Cathryn has come through the pain and loss and done a wonderfully positive thing in giving blood. Those little girls have shown how goodness finds a way and Cathryn feels blessed. Their legacy goes on and on….people have received Cathryn’s blood and their families and friends will hopefully have been inspired to become donors. I’m sharing their story and so it spreads further. Those little girls have indeed changed the world.

Cathryn donated her breast milk which is such a wonderful thing to do when she was probably at her very lowest. To be able to think of how she can help others whilst trying to cope with the loss of her daughters, to give when she has been robbed herself, is humbling.

Cathryn is passionate about being able to help others and to turn her tragedy into opportunity for others. She connected a woman who had had cancer to a woman who wanted to donate eggs and so the wonder of life and giving multiplies on and on. Three precious little girls started something miraculous…the gift of life for many many people.

There are forty nine days until Christmas Day. I hate having to use the ‘C’ word, especially as I am a grumpy Bah Humbug…but there are some things I do like to do. Last year I altered the words to The Frog Song and we had a laugh singing it.

I let the team have a quick practise then it was a one take only recording. Our timing was out, some people (you know who you are….Sue!) sang the original words, ‘Merry Christmas’ was said prematurely (Lou!!) and most people bom bom bombed to their own tunes. It was a laugh and we enjoyed doing it so we made a second video of the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Well, the challenge is on again and we need another song for this year. With forty nine days to go I have enough time to think of something…I hope.

I want to include things that donors say to us all the time such as:

Ooh no-one’s ever cleaned my arm before (we always clean an arm)

There’s something new every time I come (not every time, but we are always looking to improve our procedures to make sure our product is the best it can possibly be…which is what is wanted when you think about who is going to receive it)

Do you all volunteer (No we don’t! It is our job. We are fully trained venepuncturists and work for NHS Blood and Transplant)

I can never get an appointment (And yet, here you are)

There are many more. I have an idea which tune we could massacre this year and I’ve a few phrases that might work, but I’ve got forty nine days to play about with. Maybe this year we should sing for the donors. Maybe some donors will come up with a song for us with all the phrases in that we say to them. Maybe we will get signed by a record company…okay that’s probably a maybe too far. But…maybe staff and donors will share in the fun and just maybe I won’t be grumpiest Bah Humbug this year….maybe!

Facebook pinged up a memory from this day last year when I did the open water swim at Salford Quays. Gogglebox star, Rev Kate Bottley, was also swimming in aid of Children in Need. I like to spread the word about giving blood and it was a good opportunity to don my Give Blood t-shirt and get a selfie with a celeb. We were both feeling exhilarated from the chilly ten degree dip and our fingers and toes were numb, but that wasn’t stopping her from chatting to everyone and having her photo taken.

So….I thought I would add a couple more celebrities here who have helped with the cause…

Coronation Street actress, Nikki Sanderson, donated blood and was happy to pose with staff after she had emptied her arm.

Another Coronation Street actor, Oliver Mellor, should be used to medical issues as he played Dr Carter in the soap. He was proud to show off his plaster after donating…and of course I was very happy to hug him for a pic!

These photos with Ben Shepherd have a link albeit, a tenuous one. I was on Tipping Point a couple of years ago. When I turned up with my fellow contestants we had to practise our introduction…”I’m….A….From…” Well, you would think that it would be easy. It was for the accountant, the singer and the computer programmer, but when it came to me they were discombobulated. I am a donor carer. “Hmmm,” they said, “We don’t think people will know what that is. Could you say you are an NHS Worker?” “I do work for the NHS, but it is officially NHS Blood and Transplant.” “Hmmm.” “Could you say you are a nurse?” “I’m not a nurse though.” “Hmmm,” they said again, “Is there anything else you could be called?” “I’m a venepuncturist.” As the accountant, the singer and the computer programmer smiled pityingly at me the powers that be formed a huddle and decided what I should say. Eventually, they opted for venepuncturist…now call me a cynic, but I doubt Joe Public will know what that is! Anyway, that is the tenuous link between blood and Ben Shepherd…ha ha ha.

Billy Blood is the celeb of the Blood Service and I had to squeeze him in here. I took him along to a blood session at Old Trafford. When I asked if I could get a pic with him in the trophy room staff were more than willing to help…well, he is Billy Blood after all! We were taken, past the queue of Manchester United fans waiting to pay to get in, to the trophy room and then through a NO ACCESS door to the pitch. If I was a football fan I might have been excited, but I’m not although it was good fun.

It shouldn’t need a celebrity to advertise the importance of giving blood, but it always helps. So now the challenge is on to add more faces to my collection. Maybe I should just carry my Give Blood t-shirt around with me and whip it on whenever I see a celeb…..

It’s Friday night and I’m watching Celebrity Gogglebox on tv. I’m laughing at some hilarious comments, but then I’m crying as we hear stories of people with cancer. The devastation that that evil, cruel disease causes is heartbreaking. Stand Up To Cancer claws at the heartstrings as we watch Daniel vlog his battle with cancer. He found lumps in his side and has surgery to have them removed, but then with his mother sobbing uncontrollably beside him he tells us that the surgery didn’t work and the prognosis isn’t good. In the next vlog entry Daniel is so much thinner and has the look of a dying man. He isn’t ready to die as there are so many things he still wants to do, but he can’t because he is in so much pain and feeling so weak. The celebrities are crying and I am crying as we hear that Daniel died aged thirty two.

The number for donating money for cancer research comes up on the screen. Yes…give money but don’t stop there! Blood. Plasma. Platelets. When we give money to all these big charities we don’t actually see where it really goes. We are told ‘research’, but what does that mean. Does it pay a salary? Does it buy equipment? Does it build labs? Yes, I know it helps, but I’m not told where my five pounds has gone.

On the 18th October I donated platelets for the first time. It is known as the golden donation as platelets are yellow in the bag. Today I found out that my golden donation helped someone at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Oh, whoever decided that sending a text to tell you where your donation has gone is genius. That simple text makes you feel great. My platelets have been used and hopefully improved someone’s life. I have physically made a difference.

So what are you waiting for…sign up to donate. Give money if you can, but give a real piece of you! Give blood or give platelets. The money will help with research for tomorrow but the blood and platelets will help with the pain and suffering of today.

Actually I’m O positive, but I want this whole blog malarkey to be a positive thing so I’m making allowances for a bit of poetic licence. So…what is this blog about? Well, to be blunt…blood. Yep, the red stuff, the vampire’s choice of drink, the thing of nightmares for some, but for the unlucky few the life giving, life saving, miraculous gift of life. My business is the blood business. The ups and downs the stabs and spills, the pricks, the tubes, the bags, the woozy heads, the cups of tea, the orange clubs, but most of all the people. The people who donate blood…their stories. The people who take their blood, transport their blood, process their blood and need their blood. Saving lives is a bloody business, but someone has to do it.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton