GOGGLEBOX star Tom Malone has revealed he is a regular platelet donor at Manchester donor centre, after blood and platelet donation saved his son’s life.

Platelets are tiny cells in your blood which help it to clot. They are frequently used to help patients get through cancer treatment and they are needed by many people with severe injuries or undergoing major surgery.

Tom, aged 52, from Stretford in Greater Manchester, knows how valuable blood and platelet donations are after his son and fellow TV star Shaun received both during his treatment for a rare brain disease.

Shaun was 15 years old when sinusitis back-tracked into his brain in 2010 and he was given just a 10 per cent chance of survival.

He had surgery seven times, was in a coma for weeks, and spent six months in hospital.

Tom decided it was time to step forward and donate and save other people’s lives. He has now donated 30 units of platelets and plans to continue donating for as long as he can.

The Malone family are urging people to donate this autumn - to help ensure lifesaving stocks of platelets stay healthy. Stocks of blood and platelets can dip during the autumn.

Tom said: “I always thought about and considered donating, but like everyone says I just never got round to doing it until Shaun got ill and received transfusions himself. It was the kick up the proverbial I needed to start donating.

“I enjoy coming to the donor centre because the staff are excellent and dead funny. I love the text you receive telling you where your donation has gone, it’s a private pat on the back when you receive the text, it’s brilliant.

“Donating doesn’t cost anything and saves lives. You would do it if your family needed it, so take a step forward and do it now whilst you can.”

Manchester needs to recruit 250 new platelet donors in 2018 to ensure it meets hospital demand. There is a need for platelet donors from all blood groups, however, donors with the A negative and AB negative blood groups are the most needed because they are the platelet ‘universal donors’.

Platelet transfusions are often an important part of cancer treatment because cancer and chemotherapy can damage bone marrow, which is where platelets are produced, putting patients at risk of serious internal and external bleeding.

Manchester has two donor centres. One is at Plymouth Grove opposite Manchester Royal Infirmary and the second is at Norfolk House on Brown Street in the city centre.

Karen Ackerley, Plymouth Grove donor centre manager at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Many people have not heard of platelets and do not realise how vital they are. Platelets regularly save the lives of people in Greater Manchester like Shaun.

“Platelets can only be stored for seven days so we need to replace the entire national supply every week. That makes our generous platelet donors, like Tom Malone, very special. They are doing something amazing - helping us to save lives.

“We need your help this autumn to make sure our stocks stay healthy, so that every hospital patient who needs a transfusion gets that precious gift.”

Platelets are collected using a special machine and a technique called apheresis, which separates out blood components. Platelets replenish faster than red blood cells and donors can donate more frequently than people who give blood – they can choose to donate up to 24 times a year. A platelet donor can help three adults or 12 children each time they donate platelets.

To register your interest in giving platelets call 0300 123 23 23 or visit platelets.blood.co.uk

Anyone wanting to be a platelet donor must be in good health, aged 17 to 65 (if they haven’t donated before) or have given a whole blood donation in the past two years. Around half of those assessed are suitable to donate platelets.