DONORS SAVING LIVES

THE date of National Blood Week has changed to June 19-25 and we at NHS Blood And Transplant want to spread the word that people who donate blood, save lives.

In the UK, we need 200,000 new donors every year to maintain lifesaving blood supplies for people in vital need.

But recently the number of people registering to give blood has declined. Particularly among young people.

There is also an urgent need for 40,000 new black donors to improve the lives of thousands of patients with sickle cell disease across England.

Sickle cell disease is the most common and fastest growing generic blood disorder in England and in the UK.

It is a serious condition effecting the blood and various organs – causing extreme pain, life threatening infections and other complications such as stroke or loss of vision.

Blood transfusions can help prevent or relieve these systems.

These patients need blood that is closely matched to their own to get the best treatment.

Black donors are more likely have a special blood type with the Ro subtype which is needed by many sickle cell patients – yet currently, only 1% of blood donors are black.

All donors talk of how good it feels to help people they do not know by donating blood and recipients express sincere gratitude at the selflessness of blood donors.