Teacher whose husband received over 100 units of blood launches campaign to inspire next generation of donors
A wife, mum and teacher who is 'forever indebted' to blood donors after transfusions gave her husband precious extra months with their young family while he underwent cancer treatment is launching a campaign in his memory to inspire others to become regular donors.
Lorna Newbrook's husband Mike, a Met police officer, sadly died last July aged 46 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
Lorna says the frequent blood transfusions Mike received extended his life by 16 months, enabling him to make precious memories with their sons Joseph, seven, and six-year-old Lucas.
'Pint for Mike' video
More than 200 friends and family members have already donated a 'pint' in Mike's memory and Lorna now hopes to inspire the wider public to join them by partnering with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) to share an inspirational campaign video.
Lorna created the film with the help of friends to show how blood donors helped Mike and Mabel, her friend's 4 year-old daughter who also underwent treatment for leukaemia. The video repeats the message 'what's stopping you?' to encourage people to sign up to donate and shows how quick and easy giving blood is.
The film also features several high-profile figures including Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas, British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje and TV presenter Michaela Strachan, who were introduced to Lorna through friends.
Lorna, a former deputy headteacher who works in education, is particularly passionate about encouraging young people to start donating at 17 to help replace those who are too old or can no longer donate for medical reasons. She has created an educational resource pack to take the blood donation message directly to high school students.
Lorna, 42, from Orpington, Kent, said:
"Mike and I had been together since I was 25 and we were so happy. With our boys, we had everything we could wish for. But in early 2023 Mike noticed something was wrong.
"He kept getting infections and one day while putting fences up in the garden he became unusually breathless. A blood test showed he was very anaemic and needed an immediate blood transfusion. Leukaemia was confirmed the next day.
"It was incomprehensible that something like this could happen. Mike was fit and vibrant, a 6ft 4in policeman. He was in the riot squad and had served in the Navy. He was one of life's good guys.
"The leukaemia was an incredibly aggressive kind, and Mike lost three stone and all his hair. Without blood transfusions he wouldn’t have lived beyond his diagnosis. He received more than 100 units of blood products to help his body cope with the chemotherapy, and I will be forever indebted to those donors.
"After Mike died I knew I had to do something positive in his memory and encouraging people to give blood felt right. I started by asking friends and family on social media to give a 'pint' in Mike’s name and it grew from there.
"It has been a year since we lost Mike, so the timing is poignant. But it feels the right time to share his story with a wider audience to shine a light on the lifechanging power of blood donation.
"I have pledged to do a skydive when we reach 1,000 pints and I'm hopeful the campaign will continue to grow and reach many milestones beyond that."
Lorna added:
"The NHS needs regular donors so once people have donated their 'pint' I hope they become donors for life and go on to save and improve even more lives. That would be the most wonderful legacy for Mike."
Lorna saw an opportunity to spread the message about blood donation in schools through her work as a strategic lead for post-16 education.
"Young people are eligible to donate from age 17 but very few do. I think we need a cultural shift. It is important because young people are the donors of the future," she said.
"Awareness is key, so I created a set of blood donation resources for sixth formers. This has already reached more than 70 schools around Kent and my goal is to expand the programme to schools across the country."
The 'Pint for Mike' video was created by a friend of Lorna’s named Dave who she met through a support group for young widows and widowers. Dave’s wife also received blood transfusions while undergoing treatment for bowel cancer.
It was partly filmed at London's Brixton Donor Centre, which opened earlier this year, and shows Lorna and other donors giving blood.
How you can help
Hospitals across England need over 5,000 blood donations every day to ensure they have the blood they need to treat patients for wide variety of reasons – from traumatic injuries or accidents, cancer treatments, sickle cell disease and childbirth.
People with O negative and B negative blood types are particularly needed right now.
To register and book an appointment to donate visit our website or call 0300 123 23 23 to find your nearest session.