A HALL Green cancer patient is calling on fellow Silhillians to roll up their sleeves and donate blood.
Nadine Rose-Smith has made the call after NHS Blood and Transplant revealed Birmingham hospitals need one lifesaving blood donation every 10 minutes.
The figure as part of National Blood Week, which runs from June 10 to 16, to highlight the vital yet sometimes overlooked role of donated blood in emergency and planned patient care.
While all blood types are needed a special call has been put out for O negative and O positive donors and for more donors of Black heritage.
Although Nadine is no longer able to give blood after donating for 16 since she was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in January.
But the 33-year-old is passionate about encouraging others to give blood, particularly those of Black heritage.
Nadine, who is undergoing chemotherapy but is now in remission, said: “Having been a blood donor and now as a blood cancer survivor, I know how crucial donated blood is. It can be a lifeline for people with cancer and other conditions like sickle cell..
“It was hard to hear that I could never donate again after my diagnosis. But I can help by inspiring others to donate.
“I’m especially passionate about raising awareness in the Black community. For people who need ongoing transfusions, blood from a donor of the same ethnicity is so important.
“But we don’t have enough donors of Black heritage. I want to encourage more Black people to step forward and save lives.”
Around 144 blood donations a day helped to save and improve the lives of patients in Birmingham in 2023.
The NHS is calling on more people to come forward and book an appointment to donate, to help ensure seriously ill patients continue to receive the blood they need.
Following the bank holidays and school holidays, the NHS currently has lower than normal stocks of type O blood.
O negative is the type that can be given to anyone which makes it vital in emergencies or when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
Air ambulances and emergency response vehicles carry O negative supplies. O positive is the most popular blood type – 35 percent of donors have it – and can be given to anybody with any positive blood type.
O blood types are in greatest demand from hospitals and the first to be a challenge if stocks are running low. So it is crucial that the NHS has a robust pool of donors to rely on.
Paul O’Brien, director of blood supply for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Demand for blood never stops. To make sure blood is always there for patients who desperately need it, we need more people to join our amazing community of blood donors
“Right now we especially need more people in Birmingham with the critical O negative or O positive types to come in and donate. Please book an appointment today. Giving blood is quick and easy, and you will save lives.”
To book an appointment via the GiveBloodNHS app or here.
