Charity & Social - September - Blood Donation awareness
Join the MyOptique Charity & Social committee in giving blood this September. The UK needs 135,000 new donors each year, could you be one?
New blood donors from all backgrounds are needed to ensure there is the right blood available for patients who need it.
The UK needs
Nearly 400 new donors a day to meet demand
Around 135,000 new donors a year to replace those who can no longer donate
40,000 more black donors to meet growing demand for better-matched blood
30,000 new donors with priority blood types such as O negative every year
More young people to start giving blood so there is enough blood in the future
Most people can give blood. You can give blood if you:
are fit and healthy
weigh between 7 stone 12 lbs and 25 stone, or 50kg and 160kg
are aged between 17 and 66 (or 70 if you have given blood before)
are over 70 and have given blood in the last two years
Men can give blood every 12 weeks and women can give blood every 16 weeks.
The common reasons donors should check if they can give blood are:
if you are receiving medical or hospital treatment
if you are taking medication
after travelling outside of the UK
after having a tattoo or piercing
during and after pregnancy
if you feel ill
if you have cancer
after receiving blood, blood products or organs.
There are eight main blood types but some are more common than others. The list below shows the percentage of donors with each blood type:
O positive: 35%
O negative: 13%
A positive: 30%
A negative: 8%
B positive: 8%
B negative: 2%
AB positive: 2%
AB negative: 1%
We are hoping to encourage everyone who is able to donate blood to do so throughout September and will be totting up how many donations of each blood type are given. If you have donated within the last 12-16 weeks just let us know and we will add your contribution to the totaliser!
To let us know you have donated please fill in the google form to confirm your blood type and donation date.
For more information please visit https://www.blood.co.uk/