Rare blood transfusions save nine-year-old's life

A nine-year-old boy with a rare blood type has had his "life restarted" following a series of transfusions, including one from NHS Blood and Transplant's (NHSBT) facility in Colindale. Qasim Rizwan was diagnosed with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) in June last year, a condition that caused doctors significant difficulty in finding matching blood for him.

Qasim’s blood type is a rare mix, featuring the r’r’ subtype of the Rhesus system. This specific blood profile is shared by approximately one in 10,000 individuals, with only around 50 registered donors nationally possessing the r’r’ type. This rarity meant that doctors had to use every available matching unit in the country to treat him.

Urgent Transfusion Needs

To address Qasim's critical need, NHSBT provided six matching units from its national frozen blood bank, located in Liverpool. An additional matching unit was supplied from its facility in Colindale. These transfusions were administered alongside other treatments, including steroids and immunoglobulin, to combat the AIHA.

AIHA is a rare disorder that affects about 1,200 people in the UK annually. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys red blood cells at a rate faster than the body can produce them. Symptoms can include extreme tiredness, a rapid heartbeat, and jaundice.

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Qasim spent approximately three weeks in hospital. He later visited the NHSBT frozen blood bank in Liverpool with his father, Rizwan Ahmed, and brother, Yusuf, to express his gratitude to the staff who played a role in his treatment. Qasim described feeling unique and amazed by his rare blood type.

His mother, Mahnaz Nazar, described the situation as terrifying, noting her son's rapid deterioration from a healthy child to experiencing severe symptoms. She praised the medical teams at Manchester Children's Hospital and NHSBT for their efforts in identifying his blood type and securing the necessary transfusions. Ms Nazar has since become a blood donor herself.

Joanne Mathews, manager of the NHSBT frozen blood bank, noted that staff rarely meet patients, making the visit from Qasim and his family a welcome occasion. She highlighted Qasim's curiosity and politeness during his visit to the facility.