B Negative Blood Needed - Urgent

[Batwoman]

Hi All

I am passing this urgent request to all of my email groups. If you are

B-Negative, please take the time to read this email from Erin.


Dear Friends,
My friend's little boy, Barney Allan Jeffs, is in need of B negative blood.
The blood bank does not have any B negative blood in storage as it is fairly
uncommon blood type in Asians. If you are B negative blood type please
contact me (Erin) so we can add your name to a donor list specifically for donation
to Barney. The Blood Bank will follow up by contacting you to ask you to
come in and donate. If you contact the blood bank directly, they have told
us they will give the blood to the next B negative recipient in need.


Barney is 5 years old and he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
unexpectedly on Tuesday. His only symptoms were that he had been tired and
pale during the past week. Today Barney had a bone marrow aspiration test to
type his Leukemia and received his first infusion of Platelets and Blood to
increase his blood count to an acceptable level so that he can have a
central IV line placed tomorrow. The line will allow him to start receiving
chemotherapy. As there was no B negative blood available in Singapore this
evening, he had to be given B positive blood tonight. This not only
increases his chances of a reaction to the blood, but it means he has to
have a special injection so that his body won't react to the rhesus positive
blood. As you can imagine, each additional injection is torture to a five
year old!


Barney's battle with Leukemia will be a long and hard one. The family has
been living in Singapore several years and his mom Annie is Irish and his
dad David is from New Zealand. They are alone here without family to help
them through this, so any support we can give them by trying to get donors
is very much appreciated. Please help to forward the request especially
around the Caucasian communities in Singapore that are more likely to have
people of B negative blood type. The hospital has explained that Barney will
require many transfusions of blood and platelets over this initial first
week of treatment and in the coming months and a list of at least ten donors
will be needed.


Thank you to those who have already started circulating information out.
Please do have people continue to contact me if they can donate. We have
already had a great initial response of 5 Irish B negative donors tonight
but more are needed. Please contact me by phone or email with your name, IC
or passport number, contact number and date of birth so I can collate the
listing to send to the blood bank.


Sincerely,

Erin
9833-4954
Friend of Annie, David and Barney Jeffs

[Tas]

hang on, that name Jeffs rings a bell and a half.

if it's who I think, then he'd be a lawyer, and have a sailing boat. SGE can you recall if this is him? Gosh I hope not, he's one of the nicest men I've ever met, and was just so lovely about his family.

[Lili Von Shtupp]

I'm sorry I can't help.

I hope they manage to move somewhere where they can find this type of blood easily, I think their son will need long term support in that regard.

[Fat Bob]

Batty, can you confirm that you know these people? I've seen several emails before where this sort of thing was asked for only to find it was a hoax. If it is, I'll send it on to a few people.

Unfortunately A+ and British, so they think I've got mad cow disease. I know I've not, as I'm a duck.

[Tack]

We couldn't give blood in SG because of being Brit and we can't now in UK because we were in Asia..

[Satellite]

it's not just because you're a Brit, I'm not but just because I was there during '96, I'm also barred from donating blood here. I wonder though if they make exceptions for serious cases like this (not that I'm Rehsus negative)

[daffodil]

We couldn't give blood in SG because of being Brit and we can't now in UK because we were in Asia..

What's the reason behind limiting donation due to living in Asia? Something to do with malaria perhaps which I assume is a temporary limitation?

I couldn't give blood in SG or in Australia (still) due to having lived in the UK. Sats - the risk would be considered too high I guess.

[Zephyr]

Risk for what? I never knew of this ruling.

[canuck]

variant CJD

edited for variant, BSE in people basically

[Tack]

it's not just because you're a Brit, I'm not but just because I was there during '96, I'm also barred from donating blood here. I wonder though if they make exceptions for serious cases like this (not that I'm Rehsus negative)

Yes, there is a maximum amount of time that you can have spent in UK during the risk period which amounts to little more than a holiday if I recall correctly. Last time someone urgently needed a rare blood type in our school community the recipient was Brit and the family were happy to waive the ban on blood from Brits (and Brit visitors) but the SG hospital would not agree, even if the family had drawn up some kind of legal waiver.

Found SG HSA Donor rule on European travel :

United Kingdom or France

You will not be eligible to donate blood indefinitely if you have:

Visited or lived in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man or the Channel Island) between 1980 and 1996 for a cumulative period of 3 months or more;
Received a transfusion of blood or blood components in the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Island) from 1980 onwards; or
Visited or lived in France from 1980 onwards for a cumulative period of 5 years or more.

Other European countries


You can only donate plasma through apheresis if you have stayed in Europe (outside of the United Kingdom and France) for a cumulative period of more than 5 years from 1980 onwards



Daff. Yes the malarial risk and ban passes after 6 months. Mr T is banned also because of Central American travel, I forget what lurg they are worried about. Must remember to tell offspring they can donate again.

[Satellite]

wow that's strict!

[Kooky]

I would think the haemophilliac/HIV scenario has a part to play in that.

[Rosbif71]

Well I left the UK in 1995 and then lived in France for 5 years!
think I can rule out giving blood here!

[Fat Bob]

You should be shot for living in France for that long!

[Wattsy]

Well I really hope the child got the blood they needed. Any update?
I have just arrived here to live for at least 2 years from the UK (via Hong Kong and other countries for long periods).
I would absolutely give my blood in this situation - I am B Neg. But from the other posts I am not allowed... Even the UK won't have me now as I went to Africa for a holiday once about 10 years ago. I am amazed that you are not allowed to sign a waiver to allow you to use 'non standard' blood sources if none of your own blood group is available via the hospital.

I used to give blood in the UK and was told more than once how precious my blood was. In fact one nurse said that actually if anything shoudl happen to me and I needed blood that I would more than likely receive my own blood back in a transfusion. Singapore will have an even bigger problem with rare blood groups I would guess. So if I ever needed blood like the child on the original post I would be out of luck too. Maybe I should look into building up a private supply of my OWN blood via some lab or something? You would like to think a hospital couldn't object to using that if it had been taken/stored correctly by a qualified facility??

Depending on the illness/trauma, transfusions of O neg. blood to a B neg person is OK, but B neg is best. No other blood groups will work apparently.

[Batwoman]

Hi Wattsy

I didn't know the family personally but hopefully they got the blood they needed.
I can't give blood either as I have had both Malaria and lived in the UK. Just as well as I nearlly pass out at the site of a needle.

You sound very precious I hope you got your 2 biscuits & cup of tea after giving all that precious blood..ha ha ha ha

[Wattsy]

Oh yes I made sure I got my free biscuits and tea alright! Even though they blew a vein once and I ended up with a 10 inch black bruise round my arm I still didn't feel a thing the whole time. I got an extra cup of tea that time though. Tee hee. Normally it's just a pin prick and then a bag of blood appears in no time. Never had any pain. Totally understand those who can't deal with sight of blood etc. though. Mopping up after those who faint and crack their heads open is a right pain for everyone else too hahaha!

[Fresh Mint]

I am B negative and also not tainted by being a Brit, although I have had malaria a few times (but not for a couple of years)

I would happily donate when I get back from Jakarta at the weekend.

[baloo]

Guys, this post is over 1 year old.

[Wattsy]

So what?
It's still interesting and relevant as a topic beyond the original request. In fact although Fresh Mint may not have realised the age of the original post, it may well encourage her/him to give their B neg blood regardless. I certainly hope so. It could be any one who has a medical emergency and needs the blood.

However I can't guarantee tea and biscuits for donating in Singapore as I am new. Maybe they give you roti and sugarcane juice here? I would be front of the queue if they would have my tainted British blood haha!

Seriously though how does donating blood work here. Does anyone know?
Please do share if you do give blood...
It's such an easy way to ***literally*** save lives...

[Fresh Mint]

Fuck that then. I'm keeping all my blood ...