Black Londoners of any blood type are desperately needed to save lives
Bus Aunty appeals for blood donors during Christmas period
City Hall and the NHS have joined forces with viral social media star ‘Bus Aunty’ to encourage black and ethnic minority (BAME) Londoners to come forward as blood donors this winter.
There are currently 23,000 unfilled blood donation appointments in the capital over the next six weeks – 42 per cent of the national total. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) say they particularly need donors with the Ro blood subtype. This is is used to treat patients with sickle cell, an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately affects people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage.
However, there are 3,000 eligible Ro donors across London who have not made an appointment in the past 12 months.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) joined Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, on board a specially wrapped double-decker bus to promote the campaign across London.
Dr Weekes-Bernard said there was still some hesitancy in BAME communities around giving blood, and that she herself only became a donor two years ago.
There is now a year-long campaign to recruit 16,000 additional Black heritage blood donors to help people living with sickle cell.
“We know that this year we need donors of Black heritage and that’s largely because we know that ethnically matched blood can really transform and save lives and now more than ever we really need to have more Black donors stand up, put themselves forward and maybe consider donating blood,” she told the LDRS.
“There’s a lot of hesitancy within some communities because people are worried about how long it might take to give blood, perhaps about it being potentially quite painful and I think there is a lot of hesitancy just generally about health services more broadly.
“The issue however remains that when it comes to certain diseases like sickle cell for example, it’s one of the fastest growing genetic blood disorders and it disproportionately impacts people of Black heritage. Ethnically matched blood is actually really, really effective because of that.”
Also on board the bus, a special service from Lambeth Road to Brixton Blood Donor Centre, was ‘Bus Aunty’ – real name Bemi Orojuogun – a former mental health nurse who celebrates the capital’s buses with her viral TikTok videos.
She appealed to BAME communities to “come out and give blood” – even if their blood type isn’t Ro.
Ms Orojuogun told the LDRS: “Even if your blood doesn’t match, somebody else may need your blood. Like for me, I have a very rare blood type, and for that, I’m happy to give today because somebody will need that blood.
“Please don’t be reluctant to give blood. You never know, your family, your relatives may even need blood one day. And also it’s a good practice to help somebody else.
“Your blood will help somebody to live. You can jump on the bus and give blood. Why not?”
Fellow social media star Simply Sayo, an NHSBT ambassador, tragically lost two of her sisters to sickle cell and has used her platform to mobilise Black communities to become blood donors.
“We need 16,000 new donors from Black heritage backgrounds to register to donate blood,” she said.
“We’re here to make sure that, if you are the giving type, that you are giving and that blood donation is at the forefront of people’s minds.
“Sickle cell can be a very, very debilitating and a very dangerous condition to live with – and it is on the rise. From my trauma of losing my sister when she was nine years old, a few months away from her 10th birthday, I’ve channelled that grief and turned it into advocacy.”
NHSBT data shows that one in every four blood donations used by the NHS in England last year went to hospitals in London – equivalent to 921 lifesaving units every day, or one every 90 seconds.
Labour MPs also threw their weight behind the campaign and encouraged Londoners, particularly those from the Afro-Caribbean community, to come forward.
Florence Eshalomi, who represents Vauxhall and Camberwell Green and used to sit on the London Assembly, told the LDRS: “This is really, really important. My late mother suffered from sickle cell anaemia, I also have the sickle trait.
“It’s so vital we get more Black Londoners coming forward to give blood. We really can make such a difference and you will save someone’s life. Many people like me are scared of the injection, but it’s quick and easy.”
Bell Riberio-Addy, the MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill, added: “We are seeing a dire shortage of the right type of blood particularly in African and Caribbean communities.
“At the moment, sick cell is the fastest growing genetic disease in the UK and the Ro blood type that is needed, particularly for those who suffer from sickle cell anaemia, is found most predominantly in the Afro-Caribbean community.
“I know there have been some misgivings around it previously, and I think it’s important that we address those, but ultimately, at this point in time, if our communities are not giving blood, more people will die.”
Renata Gomes, the Chief Scientific Officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, said the campaign came at a time of year where people are usually put off donating.
“It tends to be a lot with the cold that people stop going out, it’s also the festive season so people start getting very busy with their celebrations,” she told the LDRS.
“But during the Black Friday season, we would encourage Londoners to go to a donation centre and buy someone the gift of time. It’s really important in particular in London, because London is beautifully diverse and it has a huge number of people.”
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