Be More Peter: 1 million new blood donors needed by 2027.

Peter Jones

It was announced today that Peter Jones, a 60 year old retired civil servant from Southall, has donated his blood 102 times. This staggering number means that Peter has donated Ro blood more than any other Black donor in the UK. Ro blood is the highest priority blood subtype in the UK right now, so Peter Jones really is invaluable.

Ro blood is found in 55% of Black donors, compared with only 2.4% of other ethnic groups, and it’s absolutely crucial for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The fastest growing genetic disease in the UK, sickle cell is most prevalent in Black people, and it is not just incredibly painful to live with, it can be fatal. It is so important that people with sickle cell get blood transfusions with blood as close a match to their own as possible - the further the match is, the higher the risk of potentially life ending complications.

As sickle cell diagnoses continue to increase in the UK, so does the need for Ro blood to treat it. However currently the NHS are only managing to meet 50% of the demand. They need 16,000 new donors of Black heritage by March 2023 to meet this demand.

And it’s not just sickle cell. Blood transfusions are needed every day in trauma, emergency surgery, childbirth, cancer treatment and much more. To meet the growing need, the NHS urgently need 1 million new blood donors by 2027, as well as for current donors to keep showing up.

It’s now easier than ever before to donate blood, so to check if you are eligible and to register, visit NHS Give Blood.