South-east Londoners are being urged to register as blood donors after the number of people giving blood for the first time in England decreased by 24 per cent between 2005 and 2015.
The Missing Type campaign, led by NHS Blood and Transplant, is uniting 25 blood donor organisations across 21 countries to encourage people to donate.
New blood donors to ensure there is the right mix of blood types to meet patient need, and there is a particular need for more young blood donors and more black and Asian donors.
Mohammed Beg, 35, from Greenwich, donates blood regularly after both his wife and twin babies received lifesaving blood transfusions.
His wife went in to early labour and suffered severe bleeding and their twin babies who were born at 27 weeks, before their bone marrow was mature enough to produce enough blood.
Mr Beg said: “I always look forward to giving blood as I hope that I can make a difference in someone's life as somebody made a difference to my family and helped them.
“If it was not for blood donors, my whole family may not be here today.
“I urge people to support the Missing Type campaign and register as new blood donors at blood.co.uk.”
Mohammed Beg and his son.
Cleveland Alexis, 39, from St. Paul's Cray, has a rare combination of blood groups that mean he is sometimes called in to donate for a specific patient in need.
Only 35 donors have his combination of blood types and he is on the UK’s rare donor panel.
His blood is particularly useful for pregnant women and patients with sickle cell disease.
Mr Alexis, an Executive Housekeeper for Hilton hotels, originally from Trinidad, started donating after seeing a news report about the need for more minority group blood donors.
He said: “I felt I could make a difference. The first donation was really quick, only six minutes.”
Cleveland Alexis has a rare group of blood types.
Mr Alexis is O positive. He also has the RO Rh blood group subtype, and is also negative for a series of other blood group antigens, including Duffy a, Duffy b, and Kell.
Cleveland, who usually donates in Penge, said: “I enjoy contributing something positive to someone’s health.”
Mike Stredder, director of blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Blood donation is an amazing gift and transfusions save lives in London every day.
Donating blood should take no more than an hour and each donation can save or improve up to three lives.
London’s dedicated blood donor centres are in Tooting, Edgware, and the West End.
To sign up as a new donor, visit: www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.
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