Parents of cancer survivor call for life-saving blood donations this Christmas

The family of a young girl who survived cancer twice is urging people across Wales to give blood and save lives this Christmas.

Hannah Poole, from Ammanford, was just three years old when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in 2013. After months of gruelling chemotherapy, her family thought the worst was behind them. But five years later, the cancer returned.

To survive, Hannah needed countless transfusions of red blood cells and platelets to keep her strong enough to receive treatment. Today, at 15, she’s fully recovered and looking forward to spending Christmas at home with her family.

Hannah said: “I love Christmas. It’s my favourite time of year, even when I was unwell and having treatment.

“I want to say a huge thank you to every single blood and platelet donor in Wales. Because of you, I get to make more Christmas memories with my family.”

Her father, Adam, became a platelet donor after Hannah’s first diagnosis and has since made more than 230 donations, each one requiring a 100-mile round trip. But Adam says knowing his donations could help families like his makes every mile worthwhile.

“Christmas is special for most families. But for us, it means everything. We never forget that Hannah wouldn’t be here without the generosity of blood and platelet donors,” he explained.

Mum Katrina added: “When you donate, you give the ultimate gift, time together. Without you, we wouldn’t have Hannah. We are so grateful. It saved us as a family. We will never be able to truly thank donors enough for what they did for Hannah.”

The Welsh Blood Service needs to collect more than 21,000 donations over the winter to meet demand across the 19 hospitals it supplies. Approximately 70% of these donations help patients like Hannah who are fighting cancer and blood disorders. However, only 3% of people who are eligible to donate actually do so.

Platelets are especially vital for cancer patients in cases like Hannah’s, but they only last seven days, meaning the need is constant.

For some patients with blood cancers such as leukaemia, stem cell transplantation is the best and sometimes only chance of survival. Stem cells help rebuild healthy blood and immune systems after intensive treatment.

The Welsh Blood Service aims to recruit 6,000 people aged 16–30 and 16–45 from Black, Asian, mixed or minority ethnic backgrounds to its stem cell registry every year. The registry is open to join by ordering a home swab kit or asking about it during a blood donation.

Last Christmas, Adam received a message from the Welsh Blood Service letting him know that his blood had reached a hospital. Because he had donated in the week before Christmas, he was one of 126 donors who received that message on Christmas Day, knowing his donation was helping save lives.

“It was amazing,” Katrina said. “We were sat on the sofa after Christmas dinner, already feeling grateful for being able to spend another Christmas together, Adam looked at his phone and was in awe.”

“I couldn’t believe it,” Adam added. “We received so many gifts that have given us more Christmases with Hannah as a family. So, the realisation that I might be doing the same for someone in hospital was overwhelming.”

Alan Prosser, Director of the Welsh Blood Service, said: “Stories like Hannah’s remind us why donations matter. Without blood and platelet donors, we can’t have happy endings like this. 

“Winter is one of the most challenging times for the NHS. Seasonal illnesses, increased hospital admissions and bad weather can all affect the number of donations made. At the same time, patients’ need for these vital transfusions does not stop. That’s why we’re asking people to come forward and donate with us. 

“If you’ve never donated before, now is the time. If you are already a donor, please book your next appointment, you could help save a life this Christmas.”

You are eligible to join the Welsh Blood Service Registry panel if:

• You are aged 16 to 30
• You are aged 16 to 45 if you are from a Black, Asian, Mixed Race or Minority Ethnicity background
• You live in the United Kingdom
• You haven’t suffered from any of the following conditions. Click here to check.

You can book a blood donation here, or find out more through the Welsh Blood Service’s site.