A WOMAN who receives eye drops made from blood has met and thanked two men whose donations were used for her treatment.
Carolyn Frost, 75, who lives near Thornbury, receives eye drops made from the plasma in human blood because she can’t produce her own tears due to severe dry eye.
She met donor Martin Wilson, 64, of Westbury-on-Trym, and Martin Darwin, from Newton-le-Willows near Warrington, at the Bristol Blood Donor Centre.
Carolyn used the meeting to help appeal for blood donors. She told the two men: “I am so grateful to you both. It’s been amazing, and fascinating to learn about the whole process. I would just urge people to give blood.”
Carolyn, a married mother of three with seven grandchildren, has had other treatments including steroids since childhood. She started on the NHSBT eye drops around a year ago.
“Severe dry eye is a horrible thing to have,” she said. “I can feel it burning hot sometimes. My eyes get hot, red and uncomfortable. There’s a scratchy feeling and my vision is quite blurred. It becomes painful to use your eyes. It’s quite disabling. I really struggle to see. It’s amazing they can use blood to make eye drops.”
Martin Wilson is a retired Rolls-Royce engineer who has donated blood about 80 times.
He said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet Carolyn. It’s good to give blood but it’s so nice to meet someone who has received your blood directly.”
Martin Darwin, renewable energy consultant, has donated nearly 60 times.
The married dad of two said: “It’s been an amazing experience to meet Carolyn.
“It’s great to donate but to actually meet a recipient of your own blood and understand how much difference they think it has made to their life is incredible.”
Dr Akila Chandrasekar, consultant in transplant medicine at NHS Blood and Transplant said that while serum eye drops could sometimes be made from the patient’s own blood, about 80% of those who need this treatment rely on blood from volunteer donations.
“Each donation normally provides enough serum eye drops to last up to three to four months.
“Blood is complex can be used in many ways. We always need new donors.”
Register now and book an appointment through our website, on the GiveBloodNHS app or call 0300 123 23 23.