Christine's story

I had been a donor for quite a few years until I became my mother's full time caregiver, she had Alzheimer's. She eventually had to be put in care, I got a call one day to say mum had been taken to hospital, I rushed up there to be told she needed to have a blood transfusion. I had been volunteering at the SPCA that day and had just grabbed my purse before leaving. As she had Alzheimer's I didn't want to leave her alone but had to get my bag, I asked the nurse who was with her if there was a phone I could use, I thought they could leave my bag out and I would pick it up after mum had been attended to, but the nurse assured me mum wouldn't be left and I should just go pick it up. When I got back mum had been left, she pulled everything out and took herself on a tour of A&E. Mum was back up on the bed having everything reattached and there on the floor was a bag of blood, no longer able to be used and a not very amused nurse. I held Mum's hand while she was attended to and told her not to worry I was a blood donor, she didn't understand what was happening. She passed away a few months later. That was 2009, since then I have given blood every time they come North and will continue to do so as long as I can.