A Birmingham entrepreneur is today making his 200th donation of blood plasma – a substance known as ‘liquid gold’ due to its life-saving properties.
Professor Paul Cadman, chief executive of the One Thousand Trade Group of companies, has been donating since the late 1980s – carrying on a family tradition started by his late father, Ron, who gave blood for 50 years.
Plasma is the part of human blood that carries platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells around the body.
It makes up approximately 55% of a person’s blood and contains infection-fighting antibodies known as immunoglobulins, which are made into medicines to help people with rare diseases, immune disorders and genetic conditions.
Imagine a world where your benefit to others is the measure of success rather than the accumulation of wealth
Paul, making his 200th donation at 4pm today at the Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre on New Street, said: “My motto for business and life in general is: ‘Imagine a world where your benefit to others is the measure of success rather than the accumulation of wealth.’
“I’ve been blessed with good health, which has made me able to give plasma. I get emotional when I think of how this small thing for me has made such a life-changing impact for so many people, most of whom I’ll never know.
“They say it’s better to give than to receive. That’s certainly true in my case and I would encourage everyone who is able to join me in donating either blood, plasma or platelets because the need is big and growing.”
Unlike donated blood, donated plasma does not have to be matched to the recipient’s blood type. Donated plasma builds the recipient’s antibodies and can be used, for example, to support cancer treatments, protect pregnancies and help babies’ hearts to continue to beat.
‘Paul’s efforts have been instrumental’
Gerry Gogarty, Director of Plasma for Medicines at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Paul for his commitment to donating and saving lives. His continued and unwavering support and ability to raise awareness of plasma donation is truly exceptional.
“Paul’s encouragement to sign up local members of the community to become donors has also been very important. His efforts have been instrumental to our donor centre collecting over 7,000 litres of plasma last year.
“Thanks to donors like Paul, we have been able to start providing UK plasma medicines to NHS patients this year for the first time in 25 years. I cannot over-emphasise the good becoming a donor will do for those who need plasma and blood. You will quite literally become a lifesaver.”
NHS Blood and Transplant has three plasma donor centres nationwide – in Twickenham, Reading and Birmingham.
‘A big man with a big heart’
Mark Bailey, Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre Manager, said: “Paul is a regular here at the Birmingham plasma centre – a big man with a big heart who is committed to giving back to his community. On behalf of all the people whose lives have been improved or saved by your donations over the years, thank you.”
Donors can give plasma every two weeks, and NHS Blood and Transplant is calling for more people to come forward.
Plasma donation takes around 35 minutes. The process involves taking blood out of a vein and removing the plasma from it before returning it into the vein.
