Ammanford cancer patient looking forward to Christmas at home

Teenager Hannah Poole was just three when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2013.

She needed months of chemotherapy, at the end of which her family thought the rare blood and bone marrow cancer was behind her.

But, five years later, the disease returned.

Hannah, from Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, needed countless red blood cell and platelet transfusions to keep her strong enough for treatment – which her family said twice saved her life.

Hannah’s dad, Adam, became a platelet donor after his daughter’s first diagnosis and has since made more than 230 donations.

Last year he was reminded of the impact of his donations when he received a text from the Welsh Blood Service to say his donation had been used.

“I think she’s [Hannah] had around 30 transfusions including platelets and whole blood, so she’s had a lot of treatment,” said Adam.

“Without the people donating she wouldn’t have been able to carry on her treatment and she wouldn’t be here, basically.

“It’s a massive achievement for her to get through. There’s a lot of families who didn’t make it through and we got through because of everything that was there for her.

“All of the treatment that was available, all the blood that was available, all of the platelets that were available.”

Platelets are cell fragments in blood which are made in bone marrow and form clots to stop bleeding.

Hannah, 15, is now fully recovered and looking forward to spending Christmas at home this year.

“Without those donations I wouldn’t be here right now spending time with my family, which is quite fun,” Hannah said.

Adam added: “As a parent you’re with your child in hospital and everything’s out of your control.

“There’s nothing you can do, you’re pretty helpless, you’re just at the mercy of whatever’s going to happen.

“But the one way you can help is by going along to the clinic and doing your donations.”

The Welsh Blood Service said it needed 350 donations every day to meet demand in 19 hospitals in Wales.

About 70% of donations help patients with cancer and blood disorders, but only 3% of eligible people donate.

Platelets, vital for cancer patients, only last seven days, meaning the need is constant.

The Welsh Blood Service’s Andrew Harris said: “Blood has so many different uses which is why it’s so important for us to keep a steady supply for hospitals.”

More than 21,000 blood donations are needed in Wales during winter, according to the service.

Mr Harris added: “The winter’s a difficult period because with the bad weather we typically get over that period, illness is higher so people are less likely to be able to attend.

“All we’re asking is if you’re feeling fit and well, we’re encouraging as many people as possible to come and find out if you can come and give blood with us.”