News

News

What happens to my blood?

Tumelo

Pictur of Tumelo watching his blood sample go through one of the machines

Rows of tiny lab coats are hanging outside Queen’s Hospital’s pathology lab – ready for its youngest visitors to be invited in.

The first of these visitors was 12-year-old Tumelo Sibanda. He’s been having blood transfusions since he was a baby and he has finally been given the chance to see what happens behind the scenes when his blood is taken.

Tumelo, of Lucerne Way, Harold Hill, was diagnosed with Diamond-Blackfan anaemia* when he was just six weeks old and has been having regular blood transfusions ever since to top us his red blood cells.

He got to meet staff in our pathology lab who took him through step-by-step what happens to his blood in the preparation for his transfusions. They were keen to meet the Drapers’ Academy pupil as many long-term members of staff have seen Tumelo’s name on blood samples for over 11 years.

Tumelo said: “It was good, I liked being behind the scenes and the best bit was when I got to look through the microscope.”

Tumelo looks through the microcope

His mum Senzile, who has three other younger children, took him to A&E when he was a baby as he was losing weight and not feeding properly.

She said: “I was very worried. He was diagnosed and started having monthly blood transfusions. It was a very stressful time, they tried him on steroids but they didn’t work.

“Now he’s like any other child, and he loves playing football. He was really looking forward to being shown around the lab and kept reminding me when it was getting closer so I wouldn’t forget.”

Tumelo - who wants to be a footballer but will settle for being an inventor if that doesn’t happen - makes regular trips to the hospital for blood transfusions to keep him healthy. So he doesn’t get behind at school, his teachers send work in for him and he’s also supported by teachers at the hospital who work with children who are not in school.

This was the first time a child with a serious illness had been given behind-the-scenes access to the lab, and more will take place.

We introduced it after our consultant biochemist Zahra Khatami heard about the scheme run by Harvey's Gang. Set up in memory of Harvey Buster Baldwin, who died of leukaemia in 2014, the charity arranges for children to visit pathology labs in hospitals and see what happens to their blood samples.

Zahra said: “The visit went really well, it was enjoyed and appreciated by the staff as well as Tumelo. Some of the staff said meeting Tumelo in person made a real difference, as it is a reminder why we’re behind the scenes doing what we do.

“It was a real team effort to make this happen, and as a mother and grandmother myself, it was lovely to see how much it meant to Tumelo and his family.”

Zahra explains what is happening in another of the machines

*Diamond-Blackfan anaemia is very rare. It’s a disorder of the bone marrow which fails to make enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.

Was this page useful?

Was this page useful?
Rating

We've placed cookies on your computer which helps to improve you experience on our website. You can read our cookie policy, otherwise we will assume that you're ok to continue.

Please choose a setting: