Bristol donor face of NHS Give Blood campaign

The NHS mural is celebrating donors of Black heritage as part of a major new campaign to encourage more people to give blood

The mural of a blood donor from Bristol has been unveiled today – to celebrate donors of black heritage – at the start of National Blood Week.

It’s part of a major new NHS campaign as they say that shortage of blood donors with Black heritage remains ‘critical’, despite the number of regular donors in the South West reached an all-time high of almost 950 in the year to April.

350 of those gave blood for the first time – with NHS Blood and Transplant says is also a record.

The 20 foot mural on display all week is of Torkwase Holmes – one of five across England honoured for their commitment to saving lives – with people honoured for their commitment to saving lives by having their likeness captured in the striking mural in London’s Stockwell Hall of Fame.

It comes as NHS Blood and Transplant reveals that more people than ever before of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage in the South West are saving lives by giving blood.

Nationally people of Black heritage are also giving blood in record numbers, however, this year, the NHS needs 12,000 new Black heritage donors to meet the growing demand for ethnically matched blood for sickle cell patients who need regular transfusions to stay alive.

Today, at the start of National Blood Week, NHS Blood and Transplant is rolling out a major new campaign celebrating donors and appealing for new donors to join the team of ‘Giving Types’, particularly those of Black heritage.

And to launch the campaign the 20ft high mural featuring Torkwase, created by renowned British street artist Dreph, will be unveiled today and remain on display to the public for the duration of National Blood Week.

Torkwase said: “The giving of my blood was the most worthwhile thing I have ever done. There is nothing more rewarding than contributing to saving someone’s life, even more so for those in my community suffering with sickle cell and thalassemia.”

Sickle cell is more prevalent in people of Black heritage and blood from a donor of the same ethnicity provides the best treatment. Some patients are treated with the universal O Negative blood type, which is clinically safe but can put patients at risk of serious complications and makes it even harder in the long term to find blood they can receive.

The new campaign encourages ‘Giving Types’ – people who give in big and little ways, whether that be giving up a seat on a train, for example, or raising money for charity – to consider becoming a blood donor.

Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “It is fantastic that more people of Black heritage than ever before are saving lives by giving blood. But we urgently need more regular Black heritage donors so that sickle cell patients can receive the best treatment.

“This National Blood Week, please join our amazing team of ‘Giving Types’. Giving blood is safe and easy and in just one hour you can save up to three lives. Our permanent donor centres in towns and cities are great places for your first donation.”

This year the NHS needs 140,000 new blood donors to grow and diversify the base of donors so blood and blood products can continue to be supplied to hospitals. Around 9,000 new plasma donors are also needed.

Blood donation can now save even more lives because the plasma can be recovered from the blood and made into a medicine which treats more than 50 disorders such as Kawasaki disease and myasthenia gravis.

Become a blood donor and book your first appointment via the GiveBloodNHS app or on their website.

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