Project Summaries:

Recruiting and retaining volunteer stool donors (estimated reading time 10 minutes): By Dr Mel Hyde, Professor Barbara Masser. Thousands of patients globally with recurrent Clostridioides difficile would benefit from Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT). However, the number of eligible volunteer stool donors do not meet demand, and it is challenging and costly to recruit donors. Based on a rapid review of FMT donor research, and brief reviews of complementary research (e.g., biobanking and clinical trial participation), we provide eight recommendations to inform stool donor recruitment and retention.

Rapid review of the literature on using humour to reduce negative emotional reactions to unappealing topics (estimated reading time 12-15 minutes): By Abigail Edwards, Dr Mel Hyde, Professor Barbara Masser. Shame, embarrassment and disgust may discourage people from donating stool or avoid the topic altogether. We conducted a rapid review of the literature on humour appeals and their effectiveness in addressing negative emotional responses such as disgust, shame, and embarrassment. We draw parallels between the research identified and stool donation in order to offer insights as to how humour may be used in increasing social acceptance of stool donation and potentially as an avenue for stool donor recruitment.

Rapid review of the literature on shame and embarrassment in stool and sperm donation (estimated reading time 12-15 minutes): By Abigail Edwards, Dr Mel Hyde, Professor Barbara Masser. Stool donation is relatively unfamiliar to most people, and the substance itself or the act of donating may induce embarrassment or shame in potential or actual donors. We conducted a rapid review of the stool donation literature, along with literature on sperm donation – a context in which donors may also experience embarrassment or shame, in order to offer insights for stool banks to help them manage these responses and increase donor comfort.

Survey of Australian community attitudes towards stool donation: By Dr Mel Hyde, Professor Barbara Masser. This report outlines the results of a survey with 325 Australian residents who met initial criteria to be stool donors and their attitudes towards and motivations for donating stool, social norms, efficacy, and willingness to donate in different situations (e.g., collection facility, home), as well as their willingness to receive a faecal microbiota transplant. If you would like to access this report but do not have the password, please email m.hyde@uq.edu.au 

DoRN Week of Talks Presentations:

Australian Red Cross LifeBlood and microbiota donors by David Pearce and the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Microbiome Team. In his DoRN Week of Talks presentation, David discusses how Lifeblood are using over 90 years of experience in the field of biological donations to find new donors for their microbiota programme (viewing time 15.21 minutes).

Stool donation as a life-saving therapy by Dr. Simon Mark Dahl Baunwall. In his DoRN Week of Talks presentation, Dr. Baunwall discusses why donor recruitment is vital in securing FMT, and poses the question ‘how do we find people to donate their stool for therapeutic purposes and Fecal Microbiota Transplanation (FMT)?’ (viewing time 30.56).

Blog: 

You want me to donate what?? Poo: The other way to save lives by Dr. Mel Hyde and Professor Barbara Masser (estimated reading time 10 minutes)