Kerry Baggott: "Jeremy was partial to a pint, so I’m asking people to pop out for a pint of a rather different kind - of blood - to celebrate his life and to help all those in need.”
Published: June 12, 2023 | Updated: 16th June 2023
Giving blood is very personal for Kerry Baggott.
Her husband, Jeremy, died in November 2020, two and a half years after being diagnosed with the rare blood cancer multiple myeloma.
The father of two, pictured left, was 50.
The former Chief Underwriting Officer at in the United Arab Emirates, returned to Dorset with his family after the diagnosis.
His 27 years in the insurance industry also included three years with Zurich Insurance Group as Head of High Net Worth (HNW), Middle East, and General Manager, United Arab Emirates.
June 11 to 17 is National Blood Week and June 14 was World Blood Donor Day.
No better time, says Kerry, to sign up to the blood donor register and start giving blood.
Kerry, from Bournemouth, said: “Without the generosity of others, Jeremy wouldn’t have been able to have had the many transfusions and ‘top ups’ of healthy blood and platelets that he urgently required.
“It gave us more precious time.
“Since Jeremy died we’ve raised over £75,000 for the charity Myeloma UK.
“However, times are tight now.
“People have been so generous and now I’ve had their money, I want their blood!
“Giving blood can save someone’s life.
“To you it’s just blood, something we all take for granted.
“I’m sure the majority of us don’t wake up and feel grateful for having healthy blood racing through our veins.
“But, to someone who desperately needs it, it’s the gift of life.”
Jeremy with wife Kerry and daughters Charlotte and Emily.
There are several blood donor centres in Dorset.
Kerry chooses the one above Boots in Poole’s Dolphin Centre.
She said: “I combine my visit with a chance to do a bit of shopping.
“Every time I go, it makes me feel great.
“The nurses there are so grateful to every donor that walks through the door.
“I normally have a good chat with the other volunteers; have 20 minutes to put my feet up and am served a choice of snacks.
“And no, it really doesn’t hurt me – ripping the plaster off at the end of the day hurts me more.
“I’ve never fainted although I might do if I looked at the needle so I simply don’t look.
“It’s so easy.
“It literally takes just 20 minutes for a pint.
“Jeremy was partial to a pint, so I’m asking people to pop out for a pint of a rather different kind – of blood – to celebrate his life and to help all those in need.”
A few weeks after each blood donation, donors get a text from the NHS to tell them where their pint of blood has gone.
Kerry said: “My last pint went to King’s College Hospital in London.
“King’s is recognised internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac, blood cancers and fetal medicine.
“Nice to know that the 20 minutes it took me to donate blood has made a difference to someone and their family.”
Kerry is joined by her daughter Charlotte who turned 17 in March – the age at which someone is eligible to give blood.
Charlotte said: “I wanted to start donating as soon as I could.
“It’s really important to me.”
Kerry and Charlotte have also gone one step further and signed up to become stem cell donors.
Kerry said: “When Jeremy was first diagnosed he required a stem cell transplant.
“Back then we didn’t even know what a stem cell was but we soon discovered how they are the blood’s building blocks.”
In fact, stem cells are produced in the bone marrow and go on to produce your blood.
The red cells that carry oxygen around your body, white cells which help fight infection and platelets, which are essential for clotting and to stop bleeding.
A stem cell transplant involves destroying any unhealthy blood cells and replacing them with stem cells removed from the blood or bone marrow.
It’s a common treatment for patients of blood cancer – leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Some patients can use their own stem cells, but some rely on donors called an allogeneic transplant.
Kerry said: “Jeremy’s transplant put him into remission for a year.
“Obviously we were hoping for many more.
“But for a huge number of blood cancer patients, stem cell transplants can give them years more life.
“If we can help other blood cancer patients by donating our stem cells then of course we will.”
Donating stem cells is a more complicated procedure involving a hospital stay.
Kerry said: “I urge people to investigate stem cell donation – but it is more of a commitment.
“But, as a bare minimum, please, please give blood if you can.
“It’s quick, it’s pain free and it costs you nothing.
“But you’ll feel so much richer for it knowing you’ve saved a life.
“And I really urge younger people to start now – over their lifetime they can save countless lives.
“It’s one of the most selfless things we can all do.”
