Help to fill the stocking this year – Make and Keep a Date to Donate Blood in London
2 min read
Almost 2,000 donation appointments in the Tooting and Edgware Donor Centres remain un-booked for December
People in London are being urged to give blood this December to ensure hospitals can continue to treat patients over the festive season.
NHS Blood and Transplant is asking donors to book an appointment to donate before Christmas if they haven’t already done so, and to keep their appointment if they have already made one.
Donors who need to cancel their appointment are being asked to give at least three days’ notice so the slot can be opened up to someone else.
In London there are dedicated blood donor centres in Tooting and Edgware. The donor centres are bright and modern venues with free wifi, with longer opening hours than community venues.
Demand for lifesaving blood doesn’t stop for Christmas. Many children and adults will need transfusions over the festive period as treatment for a blood condition or cancer, or due to surgery, childbirth or an accident.
All blood groups are being asked to make and keep their lifesaving appointment in the run up to and over Christmas, but vulnerable groups like O negative, B negative and A negative platelets are particularly important. If you are one of these blood groups please try your best to keep your appointment.
It’s also important we get donations from across the country’s diverse population, as some disorders are more common in certain ethnic backgrounds and patients need to receive well matched blood. People from the same ethnic background are more likely to have matching blood types.
Amy Rowley, Head of Donor Marketing Operations for Tooting, said: 'Blood stock levels can dip over the busy festive period as Christmas shopping, celebrations and extended public holidays mean giving blood can slip off to-do lists.
“But we need our loyal donors in London more than ever at this time of year to help us meet increased demand from hospitals for lifesaving blood over the festive period.
“Please make and keep a date to donate in December. If you need to cancel please give us at least three days’ notice so we can open up the appointment to another donor.
“It’s quick and easy to make, view and change appointments at www.blood.co.uk or via our mobile phone app.”
