Boy, 13, who lost 12 pints of blood thanks donors

A teenage boy who lost 12 pints of blood after an operation has thanked donors for giving him "the birthday I didn't think I would have".

Elliott Wills, 13, from Truro, had catastrophic bleeding after complications following routine surgery last October. Doctors told his family to prepare for the worst as he lost blood faster than it could be transfused.

A team of 20 medics worked for three hours to save Elliott, who was given 23 units of blood, about 12 pints (seven litres). He survived thanks to emergency O negative blood, which can be given to anyone.

Elliott's story emerged as the NHS warned supplies of vital blood types were falling and urged potential donors to step up.

Elliott, who has a blood disorder called spherocytosis, had been admitted to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children for the operation.

Elliott's father Phill, 53, said an emergency alarm had gone off and a doctor had told him: "It doesn't look good", adding that Elliott had lost a large amount of blood.

He said that suddenly people appeared from nowhere and "a chain of porters came running past me carrying bags of blood", and that as Elliott was taken away, Phill said he had had just enough time to tell him he loved him.

Phill said the surgeon had explained that it had been a race against time to get donated blood into him, but that he had been losing that too.

When he saw Elliott had lost seven litres he thought it was a typo.

"Surely no-one can survive losing that much blood," he said. "But Elliott is living proof they can, as long as the vital supplies of donated blood are there."

Elliott spent three days in an induced coma after his transfusions and three weeks recovering in hospital.

He is now back at school and playing football again. He said: "Thank you to everyone who gives blood. It helped saved my life. If you are thinking of giving blood please do.

"I'm looking forward to my 14th birthday on June 29th, a birthday I didn't think I would have."

The NHS needs over 155,000 new donors to give blood this year to ensure it has the right mix of donors to meet the needs of patients.

NHS Blood and Transplant said the number of donors with O negative and B negative blood had fallen by 5% since 2020.

Director Gerry Gogarty said Elliott's experience had shown how donations saved lives and urged more people to come forward, adding: "You don't need to know your blood type. You may discover you have one of the 'missing types' that patients need right now."

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