Playing on Tommy’s football team, NC Whites, one of his teammates and friends is Joey. At such a young age, Joey has inspired me. Joey was born with a rare blood disorder called Diamond-Blackfan Anaemia. DBA means that Joey’s bone marrow doesn’t produce red blood cells. Since birth, Joey has relied on monthly blood transfusions along with daily medication to live, as well as multiple procedures and operations under general anaesthetic every year to ensure his health is monitored and he can live a normal life.

I have only known Joey for a short period, but he is so strong-willed and so brave. Joey has spent a lot of time in The Princess Royal Hospital and Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where Joey and his family have met several other families with other blood disorders and cancers.

I attempted to give blood; however, due to my bipolar medications, this is not a possibility. So, instead, I will be raising money for The Harry Johnson Trust.

The Harry Johnson Trust have supported Joey and his family many times. The Harry Johnson Trust provide support to Shropshire, Telford &

Wrekin and Mid Wales children with cancer and blood disorders. We know they are unable to change what children are going through with their illnesses. However, it definitely lifts spirits in the not-so-great times of their journey. And we are personally grateful for the generosity from The Harry Johnson Trust over the years, from collecting beads of courage - a bead for every procedure had, to pantomime tickets and even a stay at “Harry’s house” - a caravan purchased for the use of the patients to relax and unwind, not to mention many other things in between.

So, something I have wanted to do, but which is also my biggest fear, and that is jumping out of a plane! So this is what I am going to be doing! I will be taking a 13,000 ft skydive in the hope of raising some money for the Harry Johnson Trust, who do so much.

But if you can’t spare the cash to sponsor, why not think about giving blood instead?

“All our donors are amazing. But we need more men to start donating blood in the West Midlands during the New Year. Men’s blood can be used in extraordinary, lifesaving ways, but we don’t have enough new male donors coming forward. This is not about recruiting as many donors as possible – it’s about getting the right gender mix”.

Mike Stredder (Head of Donor Recruitment for NHS Blood and Transplant).

www.theharryjohnsontrust.co.uk

https://www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/who-you-could-help/?page=5

I appreciate your support.

Many Thanks,

Jon