Emma's Lab Tour
On October 30th, Emma finally got the chance to visit the lab at Royal United Hospitals Bath for her first Harvey’s Lab Tour, accompanied by her mum, Sarah. Emma had been eager to take this tour during her treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), but COVID caused a bit of a delay. However, after patiently waiting, she was thrilled to see everything up close!
The tour began in Specimen Reception, where Matthew welcomed Emma and explained the careful steps involved in logging each sample. He showed her how samples are entered into the system and described the important checks that go into ensuring each sample is accurately matched to the right patient.
Next, they visited Haematology, where Emma watched the DxH analyzers in action, performing Full Blood Counts. Craig even dismantled one of the analysers to give her a peek inside, explaining how the technology keeps evolving to make components smaller and more efficient. Emma also looked at a blood film using CellaVision (a digital microscope), and learned to identify different cells in the blood.
In Biochemistry, Helen introduced Emma to a range of tests performed on automated analysers. Emma even got hands-on experience with some lab techniques, like measuring with manual pipettes and using dipsticks to identify substances. The tour had a fun twist when Tracey showed her the “less glamorous” side of lab work — preparing faecal samples — but Emma took it all in her stride!
The final stop was Transfusion, where Emma saw the blood products stored for patient use. Callum walked her through how the Neo and Echo analysers work to determine blood group and perform antibody screens. Since Emma has received blood products as part of her treatment, this part of the tour was particularly meaningful to her, as she saw first-hand how these vital resources are prepared and issued.
Emma’s Lab Tour gave her an exciting glimpse into the world of biomedical science and a chance to learn more about the amazing work that happens behind the scenes in her care journey.