Sheryn fronts drive to give blood after donors save life

Published on Friday 3 June 2011 12:49

LIKE thousands of others, Sheryn Ali never thought about the importance of donating blood - until she was struck down by a one-in-a-million illness.

Now the 34-year-old is fronting a new campaign to persuade others in the Lothians to sign up after her life was saved by the donations of others.

The Slateford woman spent weeks in hospital as the rare disease - thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura - attacked her system and threatened vital organs.

Now fully recovered, the learning and development consultant wants as many people as possible to answer the call of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, which needs 14,000 new donors in the Lothians and Fife this year alone to meet demand.

"I was never a blood donor, even though I always thought to myself that I must get round to doing it," she said.

"I think my dad has given something like 120 pints in his life, which is probably about the equivalent to what I used up during treatment."

Signs of the illness began when Sheryn started feeling tired, before purple bruises appeared on her arms and legs.

Her GP sent her straight to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where diagnosis was speedy.

Experts said TTP is extremely rare, and usually affects black women. It is thought around 60 people in the UK have the illness at any one time.

"The doctors said I was seriously ill, and had I gone even a day later I could have done some serious damage to my organs," she recalled.

As part of her intensive treatment she received platelet and plasma transfusions.

She added: "I want to raise awareness for blood donation because I just wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for donors."

Vincent Mooney, Edinburgh donor services manager for the organisation, said: "Every donor is valuable to us. Many simply lose contact with us when they move house, but we'd love to welcome back as many as possible this year."