Give Blood
14 June is World Blood Donor Day. It aims to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. It is remarkable to think that many people would not be alive today if it weren't for the generosity of blood donors.
Here in the UK, blood is always in high demand. It is required 365 days a year, and NHS staff work day and night to process, test and distribute donated blood. Every year, the NHS needs nearly 400 new donors a day to meet the demand in England alone. As blood has a number of components, including red blood cells, platelets and plasma, it can be used to treat many different conditions, such as anaemia, cancer, blood disorders, and those having surgery.
To ensure that it has the right mix of blood groups to meet patient needs now and in the future, the NHS needs donors from all communities and ethnic backgrounds. They particularly need more black, asian and minority ethnic blood donors because the best blood match typically comes from blood donors from the same ethnic background. There are also certain conditions, such as sickle cell disease which is treated through blood transfusions, which most commonly affect black, Asian and minority ethnic people. Across England and North Wales, 4% of the population are active blood donors – and only 4% of this number are donors from black, asian and minority ethnic communities.
Do you think you could become a blood donor or, if you have donated in the past, start donating again? Donating will take just one hour of your time and could save or improve up to three lives. Most healthy people between 17-65 can donate blood, but to find out how often and other eligibility criteria, please visit NHS Give Blood.
It’s a simple 5 step process:
1. Book an appointment to give blood. Before your appointment, it’s important to eat regular meals, drink plenty of fluids and avoid rigorous exercise.
2. Arrive at your appointment to complete a health check questionnaire and drink 500ml of water.
3. A member of the team will go over your questionnaire with you (in private) and answer any questions you have.
4. Take a seat and give blood for 5-10 minutes.
5. Move into the rest area for 15 minutes, where you can have a drink and a snack.
And that’s it. You will be registered and invited to give blood again in the future; every 12 weeks for men and 16 weeks for women.
