Donations helped little Aria look forward to Christmas

Donors like the extraordinary Colin Fell. At aged 82, Colin recently gave his 660th donation at the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service at Belfast City Hospital.

A longstanding platelet donor, Colin first began donating blood in 1962 as a young man aged 19. “I worked in C&C in East Belfast [at the time]. The girls working there were all blood donors. I quite liked one of them, so to impress her, I decided to go give blood,” he chuckles.

Upon making his first donation, Colin learned how his blood would be used to treat people in all sorts of emergencies; it can help people going through surgery, illnesses, cancer and childbirth. His eyes were opened to how so much good can come from one small act of giving blood.

Colin also learned that his donations are specifically used to treat babies.

Every blood and platelet donation saves up to three lives, meaning Colin has saved as many as 1,980 babies’ lives. A truly staggering achievement!

When told his tremendous generosity has saved enough little lives to fill roughly seven primary schools, the humble hero simply smiles and says, “Think about those who need it, what it means to them and their families. What if it was your wee one that needed it?”

‘Wee ones’ like little three-year-old Aria Stevenson from Derry. Aria has received five blood transfusions and six platelet transfusions, meaning up to 11 people have helped her fight Accute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a blood cancer.

Aria’s mum, Gillian, recalls the “miraculous” and “massive difference” blood and platelet transfusions made to Aria, especially when she underwent intensive chemotherapy last Christmas.

“Around this time last year, she was starting her really intensive chemo. She was getting platelet transfusions every 2 or 3 weeks because the chemo was just eating her platelets up.”

“Without the blood and platelet transfusions, Aria wouldn’t be here with us today. That’s what was keeping her alive. Without those, she wouldn’t have been able to get through the intensive chemo.”

This year, the Stevenson’s are happily celebrating Christmas, aiming for Aria’s treatment to complete in January 2026. Gillian Stevenson, Aria’s mother, expressed her gratitude to the kind strangers whose lifesaving blood and platelet donations have helped in Aria’s health journey.

Kindness

She said: “We see the importance of blood and platelet transfusions in Aria and all her wee friends [in hospital]. Without the kindness of people taking the time to donate, Aria and a lot of people wouldn’t be here, so we are just so grateful to them. Thank you.”

Northern Ireland needs 1,200 blood donors every week. That’s roughly one every eight minutes.

The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service is encouraging people to become a blood or platelet donor this year.

With over six decades of experience as a donor, Colin Fell passionately supports the call: “Do it. Do it. I was nervous before my first donation, but there is nothing to it. Think of those people who need it. The staff are great and very friendly too.”

Barbara Mullin, head of supply shain and testing services at the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service, said: “On behalf of all our staff and volunteers, we wish to say a huge thank you to the Stevenson family for sharing little Aria’s story and for their support for blood and platelet donation. We all wish Aria well in her continued health journey.

“We also wish to say a huge thank you to Colin Fell for his remarkable generosity and dedication to blood and platelet donation.

“We encourage people across Northern Ireland to make their best ever New Year’s Resolution: become a lifesaving blood or platelet donor at your local donation session this Christmas or January. Your donation will save three lives.

“Please reach out to us on social media, search ‘Give Blood NI’ or visit www.nibts.org today.”