NHS staff have sent out a “critical” call for black people to donate blood to help with mounting cases of sickle cell disease.
There are currently nearly 6,500 black blood donors in London, but the NHS wants to recruit another 16,000 from the black and mixed black communities this year.
Sickle cell is one of the fastest growing genetic conditions in the UK and can be debilitating, with sufferers often needing frequent blood transfusions. Black people are much more likely to be born with the disease – and to have the rare Ro blood type that can help sufferers.
Giving blood takes about an hour, and each time you give you could be saving three lives.
Colin Anderson, community & engagement Lead at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “The numbers of blood donors needed from Black African and Black Caribbean communities show just how important our appeal is for new donors to make an appointment to give blood today. There are very real people behind these numbers – they are children, adults and their families who face painful struggles with life-threatening sickle cell and uncertain futures.
“But they are also the donors who are doing something amazing – giving blood takes just one hour and can save three lives.
“We know demand for black blood donors will continue to rise as the number of people with sickle cell grows but we have a chance now to close the gap and help our friends, neighbours and communities battling this disease.”
The number of black donors has increased in recent years by around 29 per cent.
Saturday June 19 saw the highest number of blood donations from black donors in a single day for 22 years with 223 donations. This came alongside a special blood donation event, which was part of the United by Blood campaign led by black health charity African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), to encourage more black people to donate in memory of Evan Nathan Smith, a 21-year-old man who had sickle cell anaemia.
You can register to become a blood donor today and book an appointment by visiting www.blood.co.uk, downloading the GiveBloodNHS app or calling 0300 123 23 23.