Cambridge donor centre plea to ‘give the gift of blood this Christmas’

The NHS says around 460 appointments are available at Cambridge donor centre in the next two weeks as they appeal for people to “give the gift of blood this Christmas”. It says this will help the NHS over the challenging winter period by booking “and sticking to upcoming appointments to make sure every appointment turns into a vital lifesaving donation”.

The only two days of the year that blood donations are not collected are Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with appointments available on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

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Cambridge donor centre, located in the grounds of Addenbrooke’s Hospital, has good appointment availability with around 460 appointments free over the next two weeks and lots more in the coming weeks.

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Mark Chambers, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We’re encouraging all of our amazing blood donors in Cambridge to please book and keep their appointments and help us save lives this Christmas”.

Donors are being asked to make an appointment to donate over the Christmas and New Year period if they don’t already have one, and to keep their appointment if they have already made one. If there is a need to cancel, please give as much notice as possible so someone else can take the slot.

People who have registered as a donor but not yet made an appointment to give blood are also encouraged to take that next step and make their first donation.

Mark Chambers, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We’re encouraging all of our amazing blood donors in Cambridge to please book and keep their appointments and help us save lives this Christmas”.

“Demand for lifesaving blood doesn’t stop for Christmas. Many patients will need transfusions over the festive period as treatment for a blood condition or cancer, or due to surgery, childbirth, or an accident.

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“We’d also love to welcome anyone giving blood for the first time. If you don’t know your blood type you will find out after donating – you might find out you have the type patients especially need.

“It only takes an hour to give blood and each donation can help save or improve up to three lives.”

Mark Chambers, Director of Donor Experience at NHS Blood and Transplant said: “We’re encouraging all of our amazing blood donors in Cambridge to please book and keep their appointments and help us save lives this Christmas”.

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Blood is needed to help the NHS treat patients with cancer, blood disorders and those suffering medical trauma or undergoing surgery. Each donation can save or improve up to three lives.

• Register now and book an appointment at blood.co.uk on the GiveBloodNHS app or call 0300 123 23 23.

BACKGROUND BRIEFING

*Between 19^th December 2022 and 8^th January 2023, 73,465 units of blood were collected and 74,467 were issued to hospitals.

About NHS Blood and Transplant

• NHS Blood and Transplant is a joint England and Wales Special Health Authority. We provide the blood donation service for England and the organ donation service for the UK. We also provide donated tissues, stem cells and cord blood. We are an essential part of the NHS, saving and improving lives through public donation.
• It is quick and easy to book an appointment to give blood. Call 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk
• NHS Blood and Transplant needs to collect 1.45 million units of blood each year to meet the needs of patients across England.
• There are four main blood groups – O, A, B and AB. O negative (the universal blood group) and B negative are particularly vulnerable to shortfalls. So, we want people with those blood groups to donate as regularly as they can.
• The NHS needs up to 200,000 new blood donors each year to replace those who stop donating and to ensure we have the right mix of blood groups to match patient needs in the future
• The NHS urgently need more Black heritage donors as they are more likely to have the blood type needed to treat the increasing number of patients suffering from sickle cell disease.
• There is an urgent need for donors with Ro blood. Only 2% of donors have Ro type blood. Collecting enough is a constant challenge. Ro is often used to save people with the rare blood disorder, sickle cell disease. Ro blood is ten times more common in black people than in white people.

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