Without your blood donations, Nottingham patient Rita would not survive | Latest news

Blood transfusions save lives every day, a fact we are very aware of at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH). Donations of blood are vital in so many areas including severe childhood anaemia, surgery, emergencies, and lifelong care for conditions such as sickle-cell disease (SCD). 

On World Blood Donor Day, we wanted to highlight the story of Rita, an 18-year-old patient who attends the Haematology Centre at City Hospital for blood transfusion treatment every 6 weeks. She wanted to share how important it is for people to consider giving blood: “Do it! It doesn’t really hurt and if you think you are helping one or two people like me who really need it then it can be quite rewarding.”

Rita was born with SCD which her parents discovered from the heel prick test when she was a baby. She reflected on how that must have felt for her mum and dad: “I think when you have kids you picture this life for yourself, not knowing your child is coming out with this illness. I think it was very hard for my parents.”

Sickle cell is a non-malignant red blood cell disorder which is inherited from both parents. It gets its name from the crescent shape the blood cells form instead of the usual round shape. These abnormal cells block blood flow and die early, causing severe pain, anaemia, and organ damage which requires lifelong medical management.

Rita describes living with SCD: “The worst day is when you get an attack which is called a sickle-cell crisis. I had lots of them when I was ten and I was often in hospital for one or two weeks at a time.

“You get constant stabbing pains and it’s like something is just tightly squeezing areas of your body, and you can’t move. It’s really awful.”

The physical impact the disease has on the body is hard enough to manage but the adjustments a patient must make to their education, employment and everyday living can really have an impact on their mental health.

Rita said: “A lot of people pity me which has stopped me having friendships and doing sports so it’s very hard when you know it’s not your fault.

“I want people to know that yes, I have this chronic illness and have to come to hospital, but I am not like glass, I am not that fragile. People with SCD are actually strong and we just need that extra help.”

Sickle Cell disease is commonly found in patients of African and Caribbean heritage, and the latest figures show around 17,500 people in the UK have sickle cell. The disease is prevalent in Nottingham with NUH seeing 5 babies a month born with the sickle cell trait or full disease.

Hannah Kadiki, Haemoglobinopathy lead specialist nurse at NUH, has known Rita for several years and is passionate about educating people on the disease as she says most people are unaware of it: “Sickle cell patients feel ignored and dismissed”, she said.

“We are trying to irradicate that lack of compassion and understanding through education and awareness. We need to treat the patient and see beyond the colour.

 “I do implore you to find it in your heart to donate blood. These are people, like Rita, who need you.”

On Sunday 14^th June it is World Blood Donation Day which highlights the importance of sharing Rita’s story and the need for those blood donations.

Giving blood is more than a medical act, it is an act of compassion, solidarity and care.