Uxbridge father donates plasma in memory of his son and hopes his story will inspire others

David Sinclair, 43, from Uxbridge in west London, regularly donates plasma in memory of his son, Asher, whose life was extended thanks to the vital role of plasma donations during his treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

In 2015, David and his wife Helen welcomed their second child, Asher, a healthy baby boy. However, just 10 days later, Asher was rushed to GOSH after contracting coxsackievirus, a potentially fatal illness for newborns. Doctors at GOSH typically only come across 2 or 3 cases of coxsackievirus in newborns each year.

For the next 2 years, David, Helen, and their daughter Erin (who was almost 2 at the time) lived at GOSH with Asher, as he fought against coxsackievirus and numerous other infections, including Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC). Sadly, Asher also suffered several bouts of sepsis during this time.

Despite the odds, Asher continued to put up a fight. However, the virus did cause significant heart and brain damage. At one point, Asher was placed on the transplant list, but remarkably, his heart began to recover, and he was removed from the list.

Having spent so much time in GOSH's Intensive Care Unit (ICU), David and his family witnessed first hand the life-saving impact of blood and plasma donations – not just for Asher, but for many other children and their families they met at hospital.

Due to complications, on 8 October 2019 at just 4 years old, Asher sadly passed away in hospital with his family by his side.

Helen and David were determined to give back. Encouraged by a friend who had been donating blood for years, David decided to become a blood donor.

After his first blood donation, he was invited to consider donating plasma. Given the care Asher had received, David felt he could not refuse helping others in the same way.

David, from Uxbridge in west London, said:

"Without blood and plasma donations, we would never have had the precious time we shared — 4 unforgettable years with our son, Asher.

"We've witnessed first hand how many of our friends are still with us today, thanks to the generosity of donors.

"Donating feels like a simple way to express my gratitude. I get a quiet opportunity to read my book, with snacks brought to me, and I’m always greeted with a warm and friendly welcome from the staff at Twickenham Plasma Donor Centre.

"Every time I donate, I'm reminded that my plasma could help another family stay together just that little bit longer."

How you can help

Pamela Antoinette, Plasma Operations Manager for NHS Blood and Transplant, based in Twickenham, said:

"We need more people to donate plasma at the Twickenham donor centre to help save even more lives. It is as easy as giving blood and takes just over an hour.

"If you are the giving type and wish to make a difference, please book an appointment today to donate blood or plasma by visiting our website. Your donation could be crucial to helping another family stay together longer."

You can donate plasma in Birmingham, Reading or Twickenham. You can find more information on plasma on our website.