Day: 26 February 2016

  • Kelly Clarkson’s AI Performance Is Everything Music Should Be

    Kelly Clarkson’s AI Performance Is Everything Music Should Be

    Kelly Clarkson’s emotional rendition of her song Piece By Piece leaves everyone in tears.

    Singing at the American Idol finale, Kelly Clarkson broke down several times during her performance of her latest single Piece By Piece – giving viewers one of the most emotional performances ever seen on television.

    The emotional star battled till the end of the song, which describes a father who never leaves his child and restoring faith that fathers “should be great.”

    Kelly, who is pregnant with her second child wrote the song whilst pregnant with her first.

    Both Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban, who are on the judging panel of the show were in tears by the end of the song.

     

     

  • Woman Convicted Of Murdering Her Severely Ill Father

    Woman Convicted Of Murdering Her Severely Ill Father

    A trans woman has been found guilty of murdering her severely ill father at their home in Essex.

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  • Hannah Spearritt Up For 20th Anniversary Of S Club 7

    It may be a couple of years away, but Hannah Spearitt has signalled that she’d be up for a reunion S Club 7 tour.

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  • As A Gay Man Can I Donate Bone Marrow?

    This week our legal expert Matt Parr answers a question about Bone Marrow Donation for gay men in the United Kingdom.

    Dear Matt,

    I know that gay men can’t currently give blood – but I was wondering about bone marrow. If someone in my family was to need my bone marrow for surgery can I legally give it? Also if I just wanted to give bone marrow to anyone, regardless of any family connection is this possible or legal?

    Love what you do…

    OT Horne

    Thanks for your question, it’s great that you have thought about the need to donate bone marrow.

    The main difference between the donation of blood and bone marrow however is that to donate bone marrow you would first need to have a thorough medical examination before being permitted to donate it.

    You’re mistaken in your perception that gay men cannot donate blood full stop; the criteria recently changed in 2011 and it is now only if they have had anal or oral sex with a man in the last 12 months with or without a condom will they not be permitted to donate. This is simply because of the increased risk of the unknown exposure to HIV/AIDS. In order to donate bone marrow through NHS Blood and Transplant you need to already have joined the blood donor list. Effectively, therefore the same criteria apply to the donation of bone marrow as to blood.

    NHS Blood and Transplant rely on people being as honest as possible (and realistic) when questioning them on the possibility of them being HIV positive (backed up by their own stringent screening processes, which of course are never fail safe).

    If donating through the Anthony Nolan charity, however, then you will not be permitted to donate if you (or your partner) are, or think you are HIV positive or you are involved in high-risk sexual practices that may increase your exposure to sexually-transmitted diseases (amongst others). In essence, the decision as to whether you can donate will depend on a number of factors, both sexual and health related- not sexuality.

    There is no strict 12 month time frame of celibacy prior to donating.

    The best advice I can give you is consider contacting the NHS Blood and Transplant service to discuss the process. If you are a sexually active gay man then your options are limited to donating through Anthony Nolan.

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