Founded 1916; R.I.B.I.
Club No. 12
Trust Fund Charity Registration No. 507525
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Save the Leicester Bone Bank Appeal: The Rotary Club of Leicester’s gift of mobility and gift of life
Download a Bone Bank Donation Form here
Christmas Eve Latest: Fund hits its initial £65,000 target!!
Dr Hilary Stafford, Scientific Director of the Bone Bank, and Derek Goodman, President of the Rotary Club of Leicester celebrate the success of the Rotary Club and Leicester Mercury Bone Bank Appeal
Read the Christmas Eve Leicester Mercury Opinion: "Our generous readers rise to the challenge"
But fund-raising continues with the aim of providing longer term
support
An introduction to the 2007 - 2008 Rotary Club project by Rotarian Dr Hilary Stafford, Scientific Director, Leicester Bone Bank
The Leicester Bone Bank is a bone and tissue bank which supplies bones and other tissues to transplant surgeons all over the United Kingdom. It is a fine example of just what can be achieved with a little help and a push from Rotary. It began on a small scale about seventeen years ago at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester (see photo above). Small fragments of bone were being transplanted by a couple of orthopaedic consultants in our own hospital – one of whom was Rotarian Tom Stoyle. Although the Bone Bank had been operating in a very limited way since 1989, with Rotarian Huw Thomas as Medical Director, it was the Rotary Club of Leicester’s intervention in 1990 - 1991 which really got things moving and helped us to extend this service to patients throughout the United Kingdom.
This highly successful
tissue bank within University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has been providing
tissues for transplants nationwide since 1991 and still is the only one
of its kind in the country. We have moved on since then and we now collect
bones from many hospitals across the country and supply more than 70 hospitals
throughout the UK – including several within Rotary District 1070. We work
closely with the Department of Health’s Human Tissue Authority and we are
licensed under the Human Tissue Act 2004. The Leicester Bone Bank is now the
largest NHS hospital-based tissue bank in the country, and due to increasing
demand, is still expanding and developing its services.
Rotary’s role
In 1989 Helen, a 20 year old young woman, was diagnosed with bone cancer in her femur. She was faced with probable amputation but Prof Gregg, then at Glenfield hospital (but now moved on) had worked in the United States where he’d gained experience of large bone transplantation. He offered this to Helen, but we had no bone bank in this country, and we sent for a bone from the USA. This was successfully transplanted in 1989 – the first time a large bone including the moving surface of the joint had been transplanted in the UK., and Helen decided she would generate publicity and help to set up a bone bank in this country. Rotarian Tom Stoyle (a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Glenfield) took the idea to Rotary, and the rest is history.
The Rotary Club of Leicester under the Presidency of John Aldridge in 1990 - 1991 launched the Leicester Bone Bank Appeal during its 75th anniversary year, and raised more than £55,000 to set up this transplant unit – the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. Without Rotary’s support it is almost certain that the Bone Bank would never have got off the ground. We had the expertise at Glenfield Hospital to do this, but there were no NHS funds available to meet the initial cost of setting up this innovative transplant unit on a permanent basis, so the Rotary Club's funding was vital. Like all transplant units we are a non-profit making organisation, but once set up, we were able to recover our day to day expenses from the hospitals using our tissues to cover running costs. Since Rotary’s initial input of funds the Leicester Bone Bank has grown and expanded its transplant services, and over the years has supplied thousands of bones and other tissue grafts for transplant into patients all over the UK.
What is tissue donation?
Though thousands of lives
are saved every year with the help of donated organs such as heart and kidneys,
many people are not aware that donated tissues such as bone, heart valves, corneas
and skin can dramatically improve the quality of life for recipients and even
save lives.
How does the Bone Bank fit into this?
The Leicester Bone Bank
at Glenfield Hospital is an orthopaedic transplant unit providing bone for transplant
operations. The Bone Bank stores donated bone until it is needed later
for transplants. This is not a new idea. The Leicester Bone Bank
has provided thousands of bone grafts for transplants in Leicester and throughout
the UK since 1989.
Who needs bone transplants?
In some cases of bone cancer, large diseased parts
of the bone can be replaced with a similar sized piece of donated bone from
Femoral heads : Surplus bone removed at routine hip replacement operations can be donated. This is a very common operation, and most patients receiving a new hip replacement are happy to donate their piece of surplus bone or femoral head to the bone bank. This is used as a valuable source of small pieces of bone to repair small defects or, more commonly, to help provide extra bone when worn out hip replacements have to be re-done or revised. Also, in the same way that you may choose to donate your organs after death, whole bones and other tissues such as heart valves can also be donated.
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| X-ray of a femur (thigh bone) with a large tumour | X-ray of a femur after a successful transplant |
Whole bones: One
or more of the long bones, usually from the leg is removed by orthopaedic surgeons
in an operation theatre. It is immediately replaced with a bone unit, and a
surgical dressing applied. This donated bone will be stored frozen in the Bone
Bank and used when a large strong piece of bone is required to replace bone
which is diseased or damaged. By transplanting bone like this we can sometimes
avoid amputating a limb in the case of some types of bone cancer, or use it
to rebuild a badly diseased or damaged joint. Small fragments of bone would
not be strong enough for this. It is not always necessary to transplant like
with like. In a current case the Bone Bank is senting an adult shin bone
(tibia) to Glasgow for a 18 month old little boy who has bone cancer in his
arm. The Bone Bank didn’t have an arm bone, or indeed any bone small
enough to fit him, but we found a way round that problem. The surgeon
plans to remove the cancerous bone, cut down the adult tibia to fit, and transplant
this into the little boy’s arm. The Leicester Bone Bank in the only
bone bank in the
Heart valves: The Leicester Bone Bank extended its services
several years ago to store donated heart valves, and our hospital is now one of the most
active centres for this type of transplant in the country. Heart valves can be
transplanted into patients whose own valves are damaged or diseased, and are often
transplanted to save the lives of young children or babies who are born with defective
valves in their hearts. Our commitment is to get the heart valves to theatre within one
hour, 365 days of the year. For the two team leaders this means spending 50% of our lives
within one hour of Glenfield Hospital.
Current developments
Tissue for research: Another recent development is to supply tissue for research purposes. This is tissue which wouldn’t be suitable for transplantation but can be used in research, for instance to help develop the use of stem cells in the treatment of osteoarthritis and bioengineering techniques to improve joint replacements.
Bone processing: Safety standards are very stringent and the Leicester Bone Bank has been working with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to develop ways that we can improve bone preparation techniques. This research has been successful and these new processing methods are currently being refined and validated for the Department of Health, but it will be many months before this can become routine procedure. Unfortunately, introducing the new developments in bone preparation will rely on the Bone Bank being able to find sufficient funds to get the new system started. We are lucky that special clean air laboratory facilities costing £½ million are available for us to use at Leicester General Hospital but we need to raise the capital to buy special equipment. To equip and set up the laboratory will cost about £65,000.
The 2007 - 2008 Leicester Rotary Club project: to raise £65,000 to fund an innovative bone processing laboratory
So in some ways we are back at
square one, in a similar position to that of 1991 – we have the expertise, we have
enthusiasm and commitment in abundance, but we don’t have the cash to move forward.
We collect bones from hospitals within District 1070 and many patients living throughout
this area and throughout the UK have benefited from the Leicester Bone Bank’s
services. Lives have been saved and the quality of life greatly enhanced for thousands of
people. To continue with this we need to find funding for the next phase of our
development.
From collaborative research with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service we know
that processing the bone will cleanse it of more than 99% of biological
material. This greatly reducing the risk of transfer of infections
particularly CJD. The Department of Health is very concerned that it is seen to be
doing everything possible to reduce the risk of CJD being transferred via a
transplant. CJD has never been transmitted by a bone or other tissue transplant to
date, but there is a small theoretical risk of this. This risk will be greatly reduced by
processing the bone.
This is why the Leicester Bone Bank needs money – to set up a processing facility and
reduce the risks associated with transplants. A suitable half million pounds
laboratory exists at the Leicester General Hospital with clean air flow similar to an
operating theatre, and the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is willing to make
this available for a bone processing facility providing the initial costs: which include
the cost of an additional freezer, equipment to process and cleanse the bone, handle it
safely and to set up a data handling system. In additon it will be necessary to
cover first year's costs of maintaining and running the equipment etc. and the pay
of a technician to do the processing for one year. After that initial year, these
important additional facilities will become self-financing on the same basis as the 1991
Rotary initiative, since the Bone Bank recovers its costs re-charging the hospitals using
the the bone with the full cost of the service we provide.
Also, there are some small bone banks around the UK which simply supply one or two of
their own in-house surgeons with bone rather than supply outside hospitals as we do.
These banks would find it impossible to carry out the new enhanced processing of their own
bone because of the small scale of their activities. Becuase of this several have
already asked if Leicester will process their bone for them when we have this
facility. This is part of the business plan which the Hospitals Trust has recently
approved, and will contribute to our cost recovery after the first year. By helping these
small banks to survive we will be helping to maintain the supply of bone all over the UK
and prevent waiting lists for hip and knee revision sugery increasing due to lack of
available bone.
Dr Hilary Stafford,
Scientific Director
July 2007
The Rotary Bone Bank Appeal is the Leicester Mercury's Christmas Charity:
Bone Bank reports in the Leicester Mercury
How
to donate
- Cheques should be made payable to the Rotary Club of Leicester Bone Bank Appeal
and sent to: President of the Club, Derek Goodman, Gorran House, 1 Brown Avenue,
Station Road, Quorn, Leics, LE12 8RH. If you are organising any fund-raising
events and would like publicity in the Leicester Mercury, or if you have benefited
from the work of the bone bank, please contact our reporter Alison Curtis on
0116 222 4245 or e-mail her at: alisoncurtis@leicestermercury.co.uk
Hope
for bone bank as donations pour in:
More than £50,000 has now been raised to save Leicester's bone bank. (10th
December 2007)
Help us to save vital Bone Bank - Today, the Leicester Mercury launches an appeal to safeguard a vital health service that has transformed the lives of patients with bone cancer and arthritis. (12th November 2007)
Without the Bone Bank, this man could have lost his leg - When John Heighton first looked at the scan of a huge tumour affecting his thigh and hip, he feared he would lose his leg. (12th November 2007)
Joy as little Eva given the all-clear - Doctors have given the all-clear to young leukaemia sufferer Eva Winston-Hart. (12th November 2007)
Day's work at the Bone Bank - The life-changing work of Leicester's bone bank starts every morning with the team sending bones to hospitals up and down the country - but from that point anything could happen.(13th November 2007)
Saving patients from amputation - For patients with bone cancer or those whose lives have been blighted by long-term arthritis or hip problems, the fear of losing a limb or never walking again is a very real one. (14th November 2007)
Taking life in his stride! - For someone who loves to walk in the countryside, not being able to go further than 20 yards on foot was a big frustration. (14th November 2007)
Help the Bone Bank repair people's lives - Many people will not have realised that Leicester's bone bank even existed or that it made such a difference to the lives of so many people. It is a service which has quietly gone about its work, largely unsung, over the past 16 years, helping to rebuild the lives of thousands of people. Now, however, it is in the spotlight because the Department of Health requires the centre to introduce new procedures for the more intense screening of bone samples. The risk of infections being passed on is already minimal but the new system will reduce the risk even further. (14th November 2007)
Vicar says help the Bone Bank - Without the help of a bone bank, Jane Atkins would be in a wheelchair by now. (15th November 2007)
Grieving wife's pride in helping Bone Bank - A woman whose late husband donated his bones to help others has urged people to save the service. (16th November 2007)
Bone Bank Fund pioneer in plea for public's help - A man who spearheaded the fund-raising drive that launched a bone bank has issued a rallying cry for people to support a campaign to save it. (17th November 2007)
More than £1,000 donated in just five days - More than £1,000 has been raised for Leicester Bone Bank in the first five days of the Leicester Mercury's appeal. (19th November 2007)
Ellen is honoured to help - A pensioner who donated part of her hip to Leicester Bone Bank is backing the campaign to save the service. (20th November 2007)
Show some firm support - Businesses are being urged to get behind a campaign to keep Leicester's bone bank open (21st November 2007)
Patient donates big sum to bank - A patient whose life was transformed by the bone bank has donated a "significant amount" to the £65,000 appeal to save the service. (23rd November 2007)
Bone bank closure warning - Hospitals will face a bill of up to £80,000 a year if a bone bank closes. (26th November 2007)
Readers hit £5000 mark - Generous Mercury readers have raised £5,000 in a fortnight for Leicester's threatened bone bank. (27th November 2007)
Another life is transformed - These dramatic pictures show the work of Leicester's bone bank in action (3rd December)
Ron, 70 makes his first steps to recovery - Patient Ron Adams's first, tentative steps after major hip surgery were a huge achievement - and he was able to take them because of the life-changing work of Leicester's threatened bone bank (3rd December)
Dig deep for the bone bank, urges granddad Terry: Grandfather Terry Koerber has donated bone to Leicester's threatened bone bank not once, but twice. (6th Dec.)
Hope for bone bank as donations pour in: More than £50,000 has now been raised to save Leicester's bone bank. (10th Dec.)
Money expert hopes it'll all add up for bone bank: Financial wizards are hoping to make the numbers add up for the bone bank's £65,000 fund-raising appeal. (11th Dec.)
Organisers hope bone bank comedy night is a sell-out: Tickets are still on sale for an Indian comedy night to raise money for the city's bone bank appeal. (12th Dec.)
Bone bank saved life of Paul, 14: A teenager told today how his life was saved thanks to the work of Leicester's under-threat bone bank. (15th Dec.)
Thanks to bank, I can walk again: A pensioner whose husband had to carry her up the stairs of their home because of crippling arthritis told today how the city's bone bank has changed her life. (17th Dec.)
Just £10,000 to go: Please help: Readers are today urged to help in the final push of a campaign to safeguard the future of a lifesaving service. (18th Dec.)
Bone bank put ex-miner back on feet after fall: A fall while gardening left 84-year-old Joseph Ansell in agony, with a broken leg and his knee replacement badly damaged. (19th Dec.)
You have saved the bone bank!: Leicester's bone bank has been saved - thanks to the help of Mercury readers. (24th Dec.)
Patients celebrate as target is reached: Patients whose lives have been transformed by the work of the bone bank are today celebrating the news that the service has been saved. (24th Dec.)
Leicester Mercury Opinion: Our generous readers rise to the challenge (24th Dec.)
This
is the greatest gift we could have asked for: What a difference a year makes.
(24th Dec.)
How you can Support the
Rotary Bone Bank Appeal
(Rotary Club of Leicester
Trust Fund Charity Registration Number: 507525)
A. Direct donations to the Appeal, however small, are particularly welcome. Cheques should be payable to "Rotary Club of Leicester Bone Bank Appeal" (with Gift Aid support notification if possible): please contact the President of the Club, Derek Goodman, Gorran House, 1 Brown Avenue, Station Road, Quorn, Leics., LE12 8RH [E-mail: d.goodman @ ntlworld.com]. Download a Donation Form from here!
Rotary Club Events
B. Support the Classical Dinner Concert for the Club's Bone Bank Appeal in the King's Hall of the Ramada Jarvis (Grand) Hotel on Monday 28th April 2008 7.30pm for 8pm: click here for full details
C. Am-Am Golf Tournament in aid of the Bone Bank Appeal, Tuesday 24th June 2008, Leicestershire Golf Club
C. Support the Club's other fund-raising events and activities during the July 2007 to June 2008 Rotary Year: watch this space for details of these as they are announced.
Return to Rotary Club of Leicester home page