This is something of a departure to my usual frivolous fashion and beauty content, but something that is far more important and in this week of love a subject that's certainly close to my heart.
When I was 16 a friend of mine died of leukaemia, and since then I always said that as soon as I was old enough I would start to donate blood, get on the bone marrow register and become an organ donor. I've very proud to say I have done all three; you wouldn't hesitate to accept a blood transfer if your life was hanging in the balance, so why not give something back? I'm not going to lie, it's uncomfortable and it hurts a bit having a needle put in your arm, obviously, but it's a miniscule price to pay for the fact that you are quite literally saving lives. If reading this post convinces even just one person to go and donate, I'll be happy.
I went for my first blood donation while still at school, and 12 years later I've managed it 26 times. This Christmas 1 in 5 donors missed appointments over the period, 5,000 of which were missed over the busiest two Christmas shopping days, meaning there was a huge shortage in blood stocks. Hospitals in England and Wales need around 6,100 units a DAY to treat patient - it takes just an hour of your time to donate a pint of blood, which could potentially save three lives. Currently only 4% of UK adults are donors, despite the age of eligibility being 17.
While all blood groups are important, some blood groups are more rare, such as O negative - the 'universal' blood group that can be given to any patient - and B negative and it is particularly important that the number of regular donors with these blood groups increases, as this blood can be used by doctors in cases where a patient's blood type is unknown.
It’s also important blood donations represent the country’s diverse population, as some rare blood groups and some blood disorders are more common among ethnic communities. For certain conditions, for example sickle cell anaemia, it is beneficial for patients to receive blood from the same ethnic background.
Each year around 200,000 new donors are needed to replace those who can no longer donate for reasons such as ill health, pregnancy or foreign travel and currently around half of UK donors are over 45, so it’s vitally important they recruit younger people to donate blood to help meet patient needs now and in the years to come.
There is a permanent donation centre in the West End, on Margaret Street by Oxford Circus, but you can also find appointments all over the city by visiting www.blood.co.uk or calling 0300 123 2323 to find your nearest session.
It is also easy to book through mobile apps for Windows, Android and Apple devices. To download the app, search 'NHSGiveBlood' in the app store.
Love Laurel x
