Paul Barnett, a 47-year-old from Birmingham donates plasma regularly in honour of his three-year-old granddaughter who made a full recovery after a Kawasaki disease diagnosis.
Paul’s granddaughter, Suraiya, was born premature and was sadly in and out of hospital for the first year of her life. She experienced severe symptoms, including rashes, red eyes, nosebleeds, and swollen hands.
Thanks to the plasma-derived intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment Suraiya received, she was able to make a full recovery from Kawasaki disease. Paul’s donation journey began in 2022 when he started to give blood before switching to solely donate plasma a year later at his local Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre, one of only three dedicated plasma donor centres in England.
Since then, Paul has donated plasma a total of 18 times. It was only after Suraiya’s diagnosis, Paul became aware of how plasma from UK donors is now being used to manufacture life-saving drugs to treat different diseases, with Kawasaki being one of them, which in turn motivated him to give back and begin donating plasma himself.
Working as a Business Improvement District warden in Birmingham for almost 20 years, Paul says he is “lucky” to be able to seamlessly incorporate donating plasma into his daily schedule. Paul walks past the Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre multiple times a day while on patrol, making it convenient for him to pop in and donate after work.
Paul’s family have a long-standing history of donating blood and supporting meaningful causes within the community. Paul’s father was also a regular blood donor until he discovered he was no longer able to donate, leading Paul to step in on his behalf and pick up the baton.
Paul’s mother is unable to give blood but channels her support by crafting gifts for charity and supporting schools in England and Africa. Thankfully, Suraiya no longer requires infusions and is now fit and well, having received the all-clear from Kawasaki in February 2025.
Suraiya is a strong, talkative and kind little girl and since spending time in hospital, she has developed a caring personality. She loves to play doctor with her toy stethoscope, checking people over and after receiving a toy medical kit for Christmas, a future career as a doctor may well lie ahead!
As the grandfather of three, Paul affectionately refers to his grandchildren as the ‘Perfect Granddaughter Trilogy’, with Suraiya being his secret weapon to cheering up anyone. Understanding firsthand the importance of plasma donations, Paul continues to donate regularly, knowing his contributions will ultimately help those in urgent need.
Paul said: “It was heartbreaking to see Suraiya as a little baby so poorly.
“Now she is a strong, chatty and kind girl, who loves playing doctors. I donate in honour of her to help other children suffering from Kawasaki disease.
“I am so grateful to everyone who donates. A huge thank you not only to the other plasma donors, but also to the donor centre staff for their dedication.
“Working with plasma is a 24/7 operation and I deeply appreciate the hard work that goes into it.”
Currently there are three centres in the UK to donate plasma directly – in Twickenham, Reading and Birmingham. Plasma donors can donate as frequently as every fortnight. Plasma is also collected from every whole blood donation given across the country, with a range of donor centres and community sessions to choose from.
Mark Bailey, Birmingham Plasma Donor Centre Manager, said: “Paul’s determination to donate plasma is truly inspiring and I thank him, and all our plasma and blood donors in the Birmingham area, for coming forward and doing their part to improve and save the lives of others.
“Paul’s personal experience – through Suraiya – highlights the vital role of plasma in life-saving treatments and the essential impact donors can have on patients of all ages and their families. The need for blood and plasma never stops, and currently we have a lot of appointments still available to fill – both here in Birmingham and across the rest of the country. We strongly urge all potential donors to book their next appointment today.”
To register and book your next appointment to donate blood or plasma, visit: www.blood.co.uk, download the GiveBlood app or call 0300 123 23 23.
