More black heritage donors key to treating people living with sickle cell
Birmingham is one of three places in the country offering a pioneering new service to boost the number of black heritage blood donors.
The new initiative by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is available at the city’s New Street Blood donor centre.
The move comes after black heritage groups said they were more likely to become regular blood donors if they could donate as part of a group or network including work colleagues, faith, community and friendship groups.
Birmingham-based RAFFA International Development Agency and Walsall-based sickle cell charity Plasma of Hope took advantage of the service in September.
‘More than an act of service’
Plasma of Hope founder and CEO, Marie-Claire Kofi, and RAFFA CEO Angela Clarke said: “Giving blood together is more than an act of service, it’s an act of unity.
“Group blood donation experiences help people overcome fear, build confidence, and see the power of community in action.
“Plasma of Hope and RAFFA International are proud to stand together in creating spaces where every drop truly gives hope”.
NHSBT has created a group booking system especially for black heritage donors that allows them to reserve group slots to give blood together.
The aim is to boost the number of black heritage donors whose blood holds the key to treating people living with sickle cell – the country’s fastest growing inherited blood disorder that affects around 18,000 people. Each year 300 babies are born with the condition.
Sickle cell is more prevalent in people of Black heritage, and donors of African, Caribbean, or mixed ethnic backgrounds are ten times more likely than the white population to have the specific Ro blood subtype needed to treat the life-long condition.
With a single person with sickle cell potentially needing blood from up to 100 donors every year to stay healthy, it’s vitally important more black donors come forward.
