The NHS is currently able to meet only around half the demand for blood required to treat patients with sickle cell disease, according to health experts.
NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has issued an urgent appeal for donors, specifically encouraging individuals of black heritage to step forward, as an estimated 16,000 additional volunteers are needed.
The request coincides with the 20th anniversary of the nationwide rollout of newborn sickle cell screening across England.
An inherited blood condition, sickle cell disease causes the body to produce abnormally shaped red blood cells that can restrict blood circulation.
The illness is particularly prevalent among individuals with African or Caribbean ancestral backgrounds.
Symptoms include pain, fatigue, and painful swelling in the hands and feet, with treatment comprising medication alongside ongoing blood transfusions.
Screening is offered to every newborn via a heel-prick test, typically administered when the baby is around five days old.
According to NHSBT, the screening initiative has transformed early diagnosis and ongoing management, with more than 19,000 individuals presently living with the disorder in England.
At present, the health service is only capable of providing roughly 50 per cent of the blood required by patients who depend on regular transfusions.
To address the shortfall, NHSBT projects that at least 16,000 new donors of black heritage are required to fulfil current medical needs.
Meeting this figure would require expanding the existing donor pool by three-quarters.
Symptoms of sickle cell disease
NHS
The main symptoms of sickle cell disease are:
- painful episodes called sickle cell crises, which can be very severe and last for days or weeks
- an increased risk of serious infections
- anaemia (where red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen around the body), which can cause tiredness and shortness of breath
Black donors are especially vital because they are significantly more likely to provide a precise match for those suffering from sickle cell.
This is largely because they are 10 times more likely than white individuals to possess the Ro blood subtype, an essential component for treating the disorder.
Gerry Gogarty, director of blood supply at NHSBT, said: "With improvements to both diagnosis and treatment of sickle cell over the past twenty years, we now have more people with sickle cell reliant on regular blood transfusions than ever before.
"Blood donors play a vital role in keeping these patients alive and as well as possible, but the demand for blood to treat these patients is currently growing faster than we can collect and supply it.
"We have seen an incredible response from our amazing donors across the country, with the number of donors of black heritage rising by 120% over the past decade – but we still urgently need more people to come forward to become regular donors and help us give the very best treatment to even more patients."
Yann-Elie Asket, a 22-year-old politics student living in Greenwich, south London, registered to donate blood after losing his cousin to the condition.
"I still remember how much her passing changed our family and how deeply it affected the people closest to her, especially her parents," he said.
"When you lose someone so young, you realise just how precious life is and how important it is to do whatever you can to help someone else keep theirs."
With a friend also living with the condition, Mr Asket noted that blood donation offered a direct, practical way to help.
Iyamide Thomas, of the Sickle Cell Society and NHS engagement lead for the screening programme, said: "The past 20 years have brought significant progress for people living with sickle cell disorder.
"Newborn screening means babies can be diagnosed before they become seriously unwell and connected to specialist care from the very beginning of their lives.
"We are now seeing the benefits of advances in treatment, including red cell exchange, which can make a profound difference to people who experience frequent and severe sickle cell crises. But these treatments depend on having access to a reliable supply of closely matched blood.
"As the number of people living with sickle cell continues to grow, it is vital that we have enough blood donors to meet this increasing need.
"We particularly want to encourage more people of black heritage to come forward and donate. By giving blood regularly, donors can play a direct role in helping people with sickle cell live healthier and more independent lives."
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