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Number of Pre-Hospital Blood Transfusions Increases During COVID-19 Pandemic

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Marking World Blood Donor Day last month on Sunday 14th June, London’s Air Ambulance Charity joined leading medical organisations to raise awareness of the importance of blood donation, showing how donating blood can save a life in London.

London’s Air Ambulance was the first air ambulance service in the UK to carry blood on board its aircraft and administer pre-hospital blood transfusion to critically injured people suffering from catastrophic bleeding on scene.

Since this began in 2012 there has been a reduction in prehospital deaths in London from 34% to 19%. Around three quarters of all UK air ambulances now carry some form of blood product on board.

Approximately 100 people a year in London suffer traumatic injuries that result in such serious bleeding that they may die before reaching hospital. 

Today, new data released by the Charity shows that during the Covid-19 pandemic the number of pre-hospital blood transfusions has increased during the period March 12th to May 31st 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 (30 transfusions and 24 transfusions respectively).

The specialist Barts Health NHS Trust Consultants who pioneered the blood on board initiative within London’s Air Ambulance have told of how the injured patients in the COVID-19 period were also more seriously injured and needed a higher number of pre-hospital blood products.

Dr Anne Weaver, Consultant in Pre-Hospital Care at London’s Air Ambulance and Clinical Director of Trauma at The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust said: “This highlights the need to continue donating blood despite the challenges associated with covid-19, as traumatic injuries with serious bleeding sadly continue to occur.’

Dr Anne Weaver,
Consultant in Pre-Hospital Care,
London’s Air Ambulance Charity

“With the advanced interventions and pre hospital transfusions provided by the Air Ambulance teams, we are able to give these patients a far greater chance of survival, but this depends on the blood donors.’ 

“Thank you to all those who have donated, and continue to donate, both in the past and throughout this time; blood donation really does save lives, and our teams and our patients are hugely grateful to you.”

In 2018, a new combined red blood cell and plasma product was launched, which is given to patients at risk of bleeding to death before arriving at hospital.

Blood on board a London emergency Air Ambulance

The “red cells & plasma” specifically helps severely injured patients as it contains essential clotting ingredients to help form stronger blood clots and replace lost blood volume. This improves the chances of these patients reaching hospital alive.

Last year, 149 seriously injured patients received pre-hospital blood transfusions of the combined red cell and plasma product.

The advanced trauma team at London’s Air Ambulance are able to transfuse the blood directly into a large central vein, near the heart, so it can be transfused quickly, and it is given through a blood warmer to improve blood clotting and help stop the bleeding. 

During the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were concerns that there would not be sufficient blood donors to be able to continue this world-class life-saving service.

Contingency plans were made for the eventuality that there was insufficient O-negative blood and/or plasma for these patients. 

Vital blood bag in delivery from London’s Air Ambulance Charity for a patient in need

NHS Blood and Transplant has put in place additional safety measures for staff and donors, and blood donations centres are open and running as normally as possible.

World Blood Donor Day has been celebrated on the same day every year since it was established in 2004 by the World Health Organisation, encouraging people worldwide to give blood.

One Family, 600 Units of Blood

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Giving is in their blood. In the 1970s, when Moshe (75) was a young student at Bar-Ilan University, he decided to try to donate blood in MDA for the first time in his life.

Since then, he became a regular donor and has continued to donate every month, and over the years, he has also passed this on to his children and grandchildren.

This week, his granddaughter donated blood for the first time in her life — the family’s 600th blood donation.

This morning, Sunday, marks International Blood Donation Day around the world. At the same time, with extraordinary timing, the Gelerenter family celebrates the 600th blood and blood product donation of family members who have donated blood continuously over the past several decades.

The special “hobby” began in the early 1970s, when the family’s grandfather Moshe Gelerenter was a young student in Bar Ilan.

During one of the breaks, he encountered a MDA Blood Mobile and decided to come in and make a donation — for the first time in his life.

Since then, after realizing the importance and need of the donation — he has not stopped donating and over the years has added his children and grandchildren to the donor list.

Moshe is a father of four and the grandfather of two grandchildren and one of the longest blood donors in MDA.

To date, Moses has donated 305 blood and plasma units since he began donating regularly in 1988.

This week, his young granddaughter (17.5) donated her first blood donation, which marked the 600th donation of family members.

About a year ago, Moshe had a heart attack and had to stop donating. As a result, Moshe decided to continue to help in other ways — and joined the MDA blood donor organization during which he was a volunteer donor in the pharesis unit.

From 1988 until the last years, Moshe donated regularly and hasn’t missed an opportunity to donate.

Because of the sense of mission and giving, Moshe recruited his four children, two grandchildren and other relatives to donate — which together reached a total of 600 family blood donations this week.

Regarding the sense of mission and family effort, Moshe said: “Until the age of 73, I have been donating regularly since the 1980s.’

“Unfortunately, due to a cardiac event and sugar problems, I can no longer donate. Nevertheless, I found another way to help MDA and the Corona crisis I volunteered in the organization and brought more blood donors.’

“I feel I did mine. I was able to educate the next generation and now my grandchildren are donating with their initiative and with great desire.’

“I started donating regularly when I was told about a baby who needed urgent blood donation. The story really excited me and I immediately wanted to donate.’

“This week, my young granddaughter donated her first unit of blood, which marked 600 units of blood from the Gelerenter family.’

“It is an exciting symbol of the continuation of generations and the continuity of giving. To my delight, there is no one in the family who is afraid of needles.’

“I thank G-D for leading me to this endeavor and I am grateful to have been able to help. Most important to me is that my children and the next generation, grandchildren, go my way and donate nonstop.’

“Each has donated dozens of doses of blood and they do not intend to stop. I consider the donation a supreme value and hope my story will serve as an example to others.”

Prof. Eilat Shinar, MDA Deputy Director General- Blood Services: “Moshe is one of the best and most special people we have met.’

“We, in MDA Blood Services, help 1,800 patients around the country who need blood transfusions to save their lives.’

“At the time of the Corona crisis, the importance of plasma donation became particularly significant, with the aim of helping the severely ill and preparing for the next wave.’

“Dr. Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the types of blood and thus his birthday marks the day of blood donation around the world on, would have been happy to know that there are special people like the Gelerenter family.”