When things go wrong with blood

If there are not enough red blood cells in the blood or if the cells are not working properly, anaemia may occur. There are different kinds of anaemia, but one type is caused by lack of iron. Your body needs iron to make haemoglobin in red blood cells. A lack of iron means that less red blood cells are produced and your body become short of the oxygen it needs for energy. The patient feels tired and looks pale. Usually a balanced, healthy diet, rich in proteins and minerals can solve the problem.

Leukaemia is a more serious disease which is caused by the creation of too many abnormal white blood cells in the body. One way of treating it is by a transplant of bone marrow. If this is succcessful, the new marrow begins to produce healthy cells.