The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fife schoolgirl Arabella becomes a scientist for a day.
Schoolgirl given insight into blood and marrow tests she undergoes
A Fife schoolgirl was given the chance to become a medical scientist for the day to help in her battle against leukaemia.
Arabella Muir, 10, became a “trainee biomedical scientist” to demystify the blood and bone marrow tests she is regularly put through.
The ground-breaking scheme, created by the charity Harvey’s Gang, has been created to prevent children being frightened about medical examinations.
Arabella, from Kirkcaldy, has become the first patient to take part in the NHS Lothian scheme since it was adopted by the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.
She said: “I saw how the blood sample arrives in the laboratory and I got to put on stickers on the tubes and scan them into the computer.
“Then I put them into a tube that spins it in a circle really fast.
“I found it really cool how the blood and the plasma were separated in this big machine and how they got a sample
I found it cool when we looked at blood cells and one of them looked like it had eyes and a mouth and it was smiling. ARABELLA MUIR
from just the tiny bit of blood that was left.
“Then I got to look through a microscope at a sample of my bone marrow from when I was first diagnosed and my most recent sample.
“I found it cool when we looked at blood cells (neutrophil) and one of them looked like it had eyes and a mouth and it was smiling. That was my favourite cell.”
Tamara Hanson, biomedical scientist RHSC team leader, NHS Lothian, said:“Arabella was a fantastic visitor. Not only was it a pleasure for the staff to get the opportunity to meet her, but she asked lots of questions to keep us on our toes.
“We also got the chance to explain how we analyse blood samples and how important the results are in treating her illness and making her feel better.
“The launch of the Harvey Gang initiative at Royal Hospital of Sick Children has had a positive and exciting impact on everyone involved.”
Arabella’s father Keith said: “It was good to see leukaemia cells under the microscope and put a face to what she’s fighting and gain some further understanding of it. “
Malcolm Robinson, founder and chairman of Harvey’s Gang, said he was delighted the scheme was expanding across Scotland.