Patients with very rare blood groups have been granted a lifeline thanks to new equipment which will make it possible to freeze their own blood bags for up to 10 years.

The €130,000 machine removes water from blood cells and replaces it with glycerol, making it possible to freeze at a temperature of up to -80°C. The process is then reversed when the time comes to use the blood.

The equipment was unveiled this morning at the blood processing laboratories next to St Luke’s Hospital by Health Minister Chris Fearne and National Blood Transfusion Services director Alex Aquilina.

During the event Jenifer Cornthwaite, whose blood group is so rare just 0.04 per cent of the world’s population share it, recounted her experience when she had to wait for six weeks until a European donor was finally found.

 

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