Lady who gets eye drops made from blood meets donors
A woman who receives eye drops made from blood has met and thanked two men whose donations were used for her treatment.
Carolyn Frost, 75, from near Thornbury in Gloucestershire, receives eye drops made from the plasma in human blood because she can’t produce her own tears due to severe dry eye.
She used the meeting to help appeal for blood donors.
It’s great to donate but to actually meet a recipient of your own blood and understand how much difference they think it has made to their life is incredible.
Carolyn met donor Martin Wilson, aged 64, of Westbury-On-Trym in Bristol, and Martin Darwin, from Newton-le-Willows near Warrington, at the Bristol Blood Donor Centre.
The eye drops are provided by NHS Blood and Transplant. Carolyn is under the care of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust.
Carolyn, a married mother of three with seven grandchildren, told the two men: “I am so grateful to you both. It’s been amazing, and fascinating to learn about the whole process. I would just urge people to give blood.”
Carolyn has had other treatments including steroids since childhood. She started on the NHSBT eye drops around a year ago.
Carolyn said: “Severe dry eye is a horrible thing to have. I can feel it burning hot sometimes. My eyes get hot, red and uncomfortable. There’s a scratchy feeling and my vision is quite blurred.
“It becomes painful to use your eyes. It’s quite disabling. I really struggle to see.
“It’s amazing they can use blood to make eye drops.”
The impact of your donation
Martin Wilson is a retired Rolls Royce engineer who has donated blood about 80 times.
He said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet Carolyn. It’s good to give blood but it’s so nice to meet someone who has received your blood directly.”
Martin Darwin, renewable energy consultant, has donated nearly 60 times.
The married dad of two said: “It’s been an amazing experience to meet Carolyn.
“It’s great to donate but to actually meet a recipient of your own blood and understand how much difference they think it has made to their life is incredible.”
Register now and book an appointment through our website, on the GiveBloodNHS app or call 0300 123 23 23.