{"id":74566,"date":"2023-02-21T11:53:21","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T11:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=74566"},"modified":"2023-02-21T13:30:15","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T13:30:15","slug":"the-community-group-funded-by-selling-their-blood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2023\/02\/21\/the-community-group-funded-by-selling-their-blood\/","title":{"rendered":"The people selling their blood to help research – and raise funds for their community group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Members of a diabetes support group send their blood donations around the world to help tackle the chronic disease<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

DIABETIC members of a Cardiff community group made \u00a33,000 in the space of a year by selling their blood to diabetes research groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each member of Cardiff Diabetes can make \u00a3150 per donation of 100ml of blood. To give you an idea of how much that is, donors who ‘give blood’ to the blood service usually provide 500ml each time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The money raised by donations helps fund the group made up of eight members, who meet once a month in Whitchurch Community Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis money is essential to keep our small group running. It helps people with diabetes in the local area to meet and know they are not alone,\u201d said Rob Lee, chairman of the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur group try to raise the issue of mental health problems caused by diabetes. We all support each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardiff Diabetes was set up in 1954 and is the second oldest branch in Diabetes UK, their parent group. The group partnered up with Cardiff and Vale Health Board in 2019 to donate their blood to diabetes clinics worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All blood donated is analysed to help detect patterns in diabetics and is used to calibrate machines in diabetes clinics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the group range from lorry drivers to scuba divers and meet to share their day-to-day struggles of living with diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One member, Steve Gardiner, said: \u201cWe talk about the highs and lows of diabetes. I can share my problems and medical scares and know others have had the same experience. Coming to this group makes me feel normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is so much stigma around diabetes. I feel judged by people who know little about it. But this support group shows that not everyone fits in one \u2018diabetes box\u2019. We are all different but our problems are shared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"