A WOMAN from Worcester with a rare autoimmune disease has welcomed news of an historic medical milestone which has seen blood donors in Worcestershire chip in to help the NHS become less reliant on plasma imports.
This historic milestone marks the first time in a quarter of a century plasma is being used to make life-saving medicines for NHS patients.
Plasma makes up 55 per cent of our blood and contains antibodies which strengthen or stabilise the immune system.
The antibodies are separated out and made into medicines, reliant on human blood for development, which treat people with life limiting illnesses such as immune deficiencies.
Over the past three years, plasma from blood donors in Worcestershire and across England has been stored up and made into medicines through a weeks long manufacturing process.
Ceinwen Stone, 35, from Worcester, welcomed the news because she needs immunoglobulin after her immune system was damaged during cancer treatment.
Ceinwen, known as Wen, had chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant for severe aplastic anaemia, a type of bone marrow failure.
However the chemotherapies side effects included supressing her immune system, so she is very vulnerable to infections.
Even a common cold could become a life threatening case of pneumonia.
Wen, who is under the care of at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, now gives herself weekly home infusions of immunoglobulin so she has the the antibodies she needs for protection.
She said: "I can't describe how massively helpful immunoglobulin is.
"I felt less like a patient and more like a normal person who just needs medicine.
"It's great to her that we can now make immunoglobulin from blood donations of people in Worcestershire.
"It will really help with supplies and every time you donate you will save or improve a life."
Wen volunteers with the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, helping children and young people in recovery from cancer go sailing at sites in Scotland and on the Isle of Wight.
She is also actively involved with volunteering in her local church and following her art degree she has created artwork based her need for blood transfusions and her immunoglobin treatment.
Across Worcestershire, hundreds of people receive immunoglobulin each year, with around 17,000 people reliant on it annually across England. Thousands more are reliant on albumin, another plasma medicine used in childbirth, trauma and for liver conditions.
Over the past three years, donors in Worcestershire have supplied around 5,800 litres of plasma to help combat the global shortage locally. That is enough to make around 2,600 bottles of immunoglobulin, which can save or improve around 70 lives a year.
The NHS has previously relied solely on imported plasma medicines however supplies are now bolstered local donors.
There are two ways to give plasma. Every time you give blood in Worcestershire, your plasma may be used. Or you can donate plasma at three specialist sites in Birmingham, London and Reading.
A recovered plasma donation collects around 270 millilitres of plasma, whereas a plasma donation can provide between 560 millilitres and 700 millilitres.
Daniel Cooper, NHSBT assistant director for blood donation operations, said: "Thanks to our amazing blood and plasma donors in Worcestershire."
Go to blood.co.uk to become a donor.