The Platelet Charity provides small grants to support research on platelet function disorders.

Our funding supports research into platelet function disorders and can take the form of:

• Small Project Grants. The work must be undertaken in an established UK based research facility or haemophilia unit. The award may include: staff salaries; bridging funds (if matched by the institution); research consumables that are directly attributable to the project; research equipment that is essential for the project.
• Equipment. We can provide full or part funding towards the provision of equipment to support work that is undertaken by an established UK based research function.

The Platelet Charity currently does not provide funds for research that uses animals.

In general, The Platelet Charity will not:

• make awards to other charities where the sole intention of that charity is to re-distribute funds;
• award grants to cover expenditure that has already been made; and
• provide grants for the provision of care for specific patients.

2015 Grant Awarded to Dr Clare Samuelson at Sheffield Haemophilia Centre

The 2015 grant was awarded to Dr Clare Samuelson at the UK Comprehensive Care Haemophilia Centre in Sheffield. The monies will be used to fund research into platelet function disorders for women undergoing hysterectomy or endometrial ablation for severe menorrhagia (extremely heavy periods). This study is a collaboration between the gynaecology and haematology departments at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield. The other collaborators are Dr Rhona Maclean, Dr Ted Baxter and Prof Mike Makris.

Current treatment for heavy periods include a number of treatment protocols, including prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, endometrial ablation or most radically, hysterectomy.

It is not always clear for some women what the reason is for such heavy bleeding.

Dr Samuelson and the team will be working on the hypothesis that severe heavy periods in a proportion of women are caused by a blood platelet disorder. If the research outcome is proven, it could lead to groundbreaking new treatments for patients, focusing on the treatment of the blood platelet disorder and preventing the need for surgical intervention.

For many, the prospect of severe heavy bleeding each month can have devastating effects on their general health, including extreme tiredness, anaemia and the inability to perform their work and everyday tasks adequately. Whilst endometrial ablation works for some, many women will need to go on to have a full more invasive hysterectomy, with sometimes lengthy recovery periods.