John Ansell is one of our valued Public Partners. However, he is also a regular blood donor, and donates both platelets and plasma.
John began donating in 1967 as a University student and has continued ever since. He recently analysed his donation history and discovered that over half of his donation credits were made after the age of 70! As John explains:
"I had more time, as I was fully retired from 70. Around that time, I also switched from donating whole blood to platelets. 70% of platelets are given to cancer patients, hence my involvement as a Public Partner in blood cancer projects! You are able to donate these more frequently. You also get two credits per donation, since the platelets are taken from two units of blood."
As John shows, age is not a barrier to donation. NHS guidance suggests that most people between the ages of 17-65 years can register to donate, and regular or returning donors can continue donating into their 70s (if fit and well).
It's impossible to say how many lives John has saved or improved, as a single donation can help several people. However, we would like to congratulate John on this incredible achievement. Dr Karen Shaw, Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager, said:
"John's donation achievements are truly inspirational. I feel very fortunate that he also shares his time with us as a Public Partner. He has such a wealth of experience that helps shape our BTRU research. John shows there are many ways to make a positive difference."
Discover more about donation on the GIVE BLOOD website.
Contact us at btruppi@contacts.bham.ac.uk to see how you can get involved in our research - like John.