The Sickle Cell Society was proud to take part in an important event at City Hall in London recently, designed to raise awareness of the need for more Black, Asian and minority ethnic people to be blood, organ and stem cell donors according to Iyamide Thomas, NHS Engagement Lead of the organisation.
The event was organised by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) who Sickle Cell Society are delighted to be working with on a new project, South London Gives, aimed at increasing the numbers of blood donors from Black African and Black Caribbean communities. Currently only 1% of Black people donate blood and NHSBT need to recruit 40,000 new Black blood donors to meet the increase in demand for specific types of blood to treat patients with sickle cell. People with sickle cell sometimes need blood transfusions and often there is a better match if the donor is from the same ethnic group.
The new project operates in the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark and involves volunteers with strong connections into Black communities to: raise awareness of the need for more donors; encourage people to donate blood and to break down some of the fears and preconceptions that exist about giving blood. Research shows that these include concerns around hygiene and the impact giving blood can have on your health. In fact, hygiene standards are extremely rigorous and while some people may feel light headed or dizzy immediately after giving blood, there are no long term side effects of blood donation.
At the event Sickle Cell Society representatives had the chance to speak about these issues with the London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who is familiar with sickle cell as he was previously an MP in Tooting and had many constituents with the condition. We were also visited by Helen Hayes MP for Dulwich and West Norwood who voiced her support for our work and Neil Coyle, MP in Southwark and Florence Eshalomi, London Assembly member. Neil and Florence helped to raise the profile of blood donation by giving blood on the day; Florence’s mum had sickle cell and needed blood transfusions on a regular basis. We also met Shaun Bailey, the Conservative Party’s 2020 mayoral candidate, and shared some information about the prevalence of sickle cell and the importance of screening for those considering starting a family. Our trustee Michele Salter gave blood too, and we were really happy to be joined by Aliya Gladyng who has sickle cell and works hard to raise awareness of how you can live well with the condition. Colin Anderson who conducts the B- Positive choir who made the finals of Britain’s Got Talent also attended the event to lend his support. The choir sang ‘Rise Up’ to encourage blood and organ donation, just as we encourage you all to Rise Up and donate if you can!
For more information about volunteering with South London Gives, please go to: www.sicklecellsociety.org/southlondongives/
Or contact: Tracy Williams, Project Manager, Community Organising tracy.williams@sicklecellsociety.org.uk
To find out how you can donate blood locally, please see: my.blood.co.uk/
By Tracy Williams and Iyamide Thomas
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