Despite being a major cause of death and disability, trauma medicine is often overlooked and underfunded, with trauma research receiving less than 1% of the UK’s medical research budget. So, charitable investment plays a crucial role in driving lifesaving innovation.
For many years, The Royal London Hospital has led the development of a new way of managing severely bleeding patients. ‘Damage control resuscitation’ has almost halved the death rate and is now national and international guidance. People worldwide survive because of this work.
"We have to stop people bleeding to death – it’s one of the world’s biggest killers. Over 2.5 million people bleed to death from their injuries each year around the world."Karim Brohi, Clinical Director of the London Trauma System
1 in 4 critically bleeding trauma patients who reach The Royal London Hospital alive will still die. They are dying from survivable bleeding and major organ failure caused by complex disturbances in blood clotting after major traumatic injury.
On a daily basis, the team at The Royal London Hospital must face the responsibility of saving someone’s son or daughter, sister or brother. Sparing family and friends from bereavement is what drives them on.
We believe a step change in the hospital treatment of severe bleeding is possible, with an investment into the London’s Lifeline project.