MP And Lib Dems Answer Call For Blood Platelet Donors

Cambridge MP, Julian Huppert and Liberal Democrat councillors answered a call for more blood platelet donors on Friday, May 18.

Julian and the five city and county councillors supported a campaign by the NHS Blood and Transplant service to find more platelet donors for the Cambridge Blood Donor Centre.

Cambridge City Councillors, Susannah Kerr, Sarah Brown and Paul Saunders and Cambridgeshire County Councillors, Sarah Whitebread and Ian Manning joined Julian at the mobile blood unit for a one-off testing session at the Star Radio studios in Cambridge’s Mercer’s Row.

They were tested to see if they could donate platelets – tiny cells in the blood which enable clotting and help to step blood loss. These crucial supplies have only a seven day shelf-life and are used to treat patients whose bone marrow isn’t working properly, including cancer and leukaemia patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The Cambridge Blood Donor Centre, on the Addenbrooke’s Hospital site, is one of only two in the East of England to collect platelets and supplies hospitals across East Anglia.

Julian said: “This was such a simple process which took just 15 minutes but if any or all of us are able to donate platelets we will be able to help some very sick people.

“I hope more people will be encouraged to take this test because clearly with such a short shelf-life and the fact that only around one in four people will have a high enough platelet count to make a donation, supplies are needed regularly.

“None of us knows what the future holds but we could find ourselves in the position where we desperately need this service.”  

Platelet donors are encouraged to donate regularly, at least once a month and more if possible.

 Anyone aged between 17 and 65 can be tested to become a donor along with those aged between 66 and 70 who have given blood before. Those over 70 need to have given a full blood donation in the last two years.

Julian is joined by (from left) Sarah Whitebread, Paul Saunders,
Sarah Brown, Ian Manning and Susannah Kerr stand
up to be counted at the mobile blood unit

NOTE: Platelet donation is a specialised process and can only be done at a handful of centres across the country – including a donor suite at Addenbrookes Hospital. Blood group A negative donors are particularly needed, as their platelets can also be given to patients with other blood groups

Chemotherapy or radiotherapy can destroy healthy as well as diseased cells in the blood. A patient with a low platelet count may be at risk of severe bleeding problems, so they can need many transfusions over the course of their recovery period

Platelets are collected in two ways. A donation of platelets given using a machine which separates the platelets and returns the rest of the blood can give enough for three transfusions. Alternatively, the platelets from four donations of whole blood can give enough for one transfusion. It takes around one and a half hours to make a platelet donation.

Cambridge Liberal Democrats Elect New Leader And Front Line Team

Cllr Tim Bick
(LD, Market)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats have today (Monday, May 14) announced that Councillor Tim Bick will be taking over from Councillor Sian Reid as the group’s new leader.

Sian has decided to step down following surgery earlier this year and the need to take some time to fully recover.

The Lib Dems have also elected their front line team for the coming year with Cllr Catherine Smart continuing as the group’s deputy leader. They propose she will continue to have responsibility for housing, Cllr Tim Ward with the planning and sustainable transport portfolio,

Cllr Rod Cantrill with arts, sport and public places and Cllr Jean Swanson with the waste and recycling portfolio.

They will be joined by newly re-elected Cllr Mike Pitt who they propose to take responsibility for community development and health and Cllr Julie Smith for customer services and resources. Both have experience as executive councillors.

Tim will be proposed as Cambridge City Council Leader at the council’s annual meeting on May 24 when councillors will also vote on the nominations for executive councillors.

The Lib Dems will also be nominating Cllr Sheila Stuart as Mayor and Cllr Paul Saunders as Deputy Mayor for the coming year.

Tim said: “I am delighted to be given this opportunity but at the same time we are all sorry that Sian has decided not to re-stand. She has been a formidable leader of the group and the council and we are sorry that she wanted to step down."

Tim has represented Market Ward on Cambridge City Council for the past four years and served as Executive Councillor for Community Development for the last two. He has worked in human resources in the local technology sector for over 10 years and lives in the city centre. He brings experience of leading his party in local government in Warwickshire.
 
The Lib Dems are the largest party on the city council with half the seats and will propose a full Lib Dem administration at next week’s annual council meeting.

“We have a strong vision for this city and have far from run out of energy and ideas,” said Tim. “The council has work to do and needs to satisfy. There is no other party or collection of parties that is in a position to deliver sound, consistent government to the city.

“It is good for the city that the council's procedures envisage close results and help to avoid deadlock. The same procedures will give voice to the stronger Labour representation and we hope this will add richness to the council's decisions."

Sian’s two year leadership saw the city council through hard economic times. She faced tough decisions setting the council’s budget while at the same time making sure that basic services and those for the vulnerable were protected.

Before taking the leadership, she was Executive Councillor for Climate Change and Growth for four years.

During this time she worked hard to get the city council national recognition for its policy requiring developers of new homes to meet the highest levels of sustainable building.

One of her greatest achievements was the recognition for Cambridge in the Centre for Cities report which named it as one of the top cities in the UK to lead the country to economic recovery.

“I am delighted to hand over to Tim,” she said. “He brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role and I have every confidence that, together with his new front line team, the Liberal Democrats will continue to work hard for the people of Cambridge.

"I have been part of a fantastic team of people through extremely challenging times, and very much remain part of that team.”