LEADER
Institute of Biomedical Science is the professional body for biomedical scientists in the United Kingdom.
INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE 12 Coldbath Square London EC1R 5HL United Kingdom Tel: + 44 (0)20 7713 0214 Fax: + 44 (0)20 7837 9658 Email:
mail@ibms.org Web:
www.ibms.org
PRESIDENT Ian Sturdgess CSci FIBMS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE Jill Rodney
DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE Sarah May CSci FIBMS
EXECUTIVE HEAD OF EDUCATION Alan Wainwright CSci FIBMS
HEAD OF EXAMINATIONS Chris Ward
EXECUTIVE HEAD OF MARKETING AND MEMBERSHIP Lynda Rigby
HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS Sarah Holman
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
education@ibms.org
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
cpd@ibms.org
EXAMINATIONS
examinations@ibms.org
MEMBERSHIP
mc@ibms.org
CHARTERED SCIENTIST
chartered@ibms.org
There is much nastiness in the world at present, probably more than at any time in my living memory; its ripples are felt around the globe and seep into our consciousness, and then in turn it feeds our fears and prejudices. History is peppered with cruelty, intolerance and indifference to the plight of others and I marvel that humans, who are so swift to adapt to, and understand, new technologies are seemingly so unable to learn from the past mistakes of others. I despair when I read of loss, fear and misery, and then I see something that restores my faith in humanity; the gift of a heart, of blood, of stem cells. Gifts from strangers, given with one intention only, simply to help another fellow human. Two transplantation stories in the news
recently, rubbing shoulders with the latest reports of conflict, warfare and misery, made me think about the inherent good in people that so often goes unnoticed, and I think this is the true underpinning of our healthcare system. Last month I wrote about Harvey’s Gang and the work of a pathology department that helped a little boy with cancer understand why he had so many blood tests, and what happened to his blood. This time I am prompted by these stories to write about the goodness of strangers; people who are willing to give to another person, without expectation of payment, thanks or even recognition, the gift of life. The UK healthcare system has many
FOLLOW THE INSTITUTE Join us on
Followus on twitter Find us on
facebook.com/biomedicalscience @BiomedScience
problems and is far from perfect but, in addition to the fact that it is free at the point of delivery, it also generates a generosity of spirit. The vast majority of people who work in healthcare have a motivation that goes beyond that of personal reward; the gifts of time and knowledge are given freely, and pathology is no exception in this case. How many extra hours are worked beyond those contracted because we know that there is a patient on the other end of that sample in the laboratory? How many hours are given freely to the Institute by examiners, advisors, assessors and representatives? But our healthcare system engenders
THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST MAY 2016
similar feelings throughout our culture and society; the compulsion to give something to others where the only reward is the knowledge of giving. The UK NHS Blood and Transplant service is dependent upon the kindness of strangers; individuals willing to donate their own blood and, in the case of living donors, their own organs to help save the life of another. Possibly the greatest act of altruism is the ability to see beyond personal grief and give the gift of life to another through the donation of organs from a loved one who has just died. These individual acts of kindness that
happen daily and go largely without notice are to me the antidote to the reports of the pain and misery that humans seem so adept at inflicting on each other. In pathology we may not be the ones who are holding the hands or offering the comfort, but we are the vital part of the care chain that applies the science to enable that gift to reach a recipient safely. I am a great believer in choice and I firmly
believe that the decision to donate blood or organs must be exactly that; a decision, not a requirement. There remains a long way to go before there are sufficient organs to meet the needs of those requiring a transplant, but the number of people willing to give is growing. It is these small human stories with which we can identify personally, and in which we as professionals play a part that is so important in troubled, difficult times. It may have been the actions of the doctors and nurses that were reported at the height of the Ebola crisis last year but it didn’t all happen without the professional input of the biomedical scientists who also volunteered to help. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Sarah May Deputy Chief Executive
Dependence on the kindness of strangers
Organ donation, one of the greatest acts of altruism, often takes place against a backdrop of intense personal grief, yet recent examples of the success of this miracle of modern medicine are proof of an enduring human spirit.
227
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
