A Family's Journey Through Cancer and the Power of Blood Donations

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, it brought with it unprecedented challenges and hardships for families worldwide. For one family, the impact was particularly severe. When their father was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2021, their world was turned upside down. With six months of chemotherapy ahead, their father required a staggering 34 units of blood to keep his haemoglobin levels from plummeting. In a remarkable display of sibling unity and competition, the two children began donating blood, with their brother eventually reaching 18 trips to the blood donor centre in just four years.

Key Takeaways:

• The author's father was diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma in January 2021, requiring 34 units of blood throughout his six-month chemotherapy treatment.
• The author and their brother began donating blood as a way to cope with the stress of their father's illness and to feel more in control.
• The brother, A+, has donated 18 times in four years and will move on to platelet donations once he reaches 30 units.
• The author, O+, has donated multiple times but lags behind their brother in terms of quantity.
• Whole families came together to show their support to those who were fighting this life threatening disease.

Statistics:

• 34 units of blood were transfused to the author's father during his chemotherapy treatment.
• 18 trips to the blood donor centre in four years by the author's brother.
• 1 in 3 people will know someone affected by cancer.
• 1 in 4 families have been affected by Cancer.

Sources:

• The author's family WhatsApp group
• The author's newspaper work
• King's College Hospital (where the author's father received treatment)
• The NHS Blood and Transplant organisation
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust