Princess’ story: How blood donors saved my life
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A woman from Oxfordshire who needed an emergency blood transfusion is encouraging more people to donate, as stocks drop to critically low levels.
Princess Green says she owes her life to donors after she lost more than three litres of blood during childbirth.
While all blood types are needed, O negative and B negative donors are in particular demand.
The NHS has revealed that three blood donations are needed every minute in hospitals to deal with emergencies, childbirth and routine treatments as it calls on more people to become lifesaving donors.
Mother of two, Princess Green from Witney, needed an emergency transfusion while giving birth to her son Leonard, now six.
Since then, she has committed to inspiring others to give blood, and along with her husband, Nick, has started a campaign called 'Dance2Donate'.
The 32-year-old writer and artist, who is originally from Zambia, performs at festivals to highlight the lifesaving power of blood donation.
She said: “In the hours after my son was born everything changed because of the gift of blood. Until then the concept of a transfusion was foreign to me.
“I whispered a prayer for the people who donated and told my midwife I’d be donating as soon as I could. I was so disappointed to learn I couldn’t. So I decided to focus on what I can do, and that’s to inspire others.”
'I hope to inspire others to give blood' - Princess Green
O blood types are in greatest demand from hospitals and the first to be a challenge if stocks are running low. So it is crucial that the NHS has a robust pool of donors to rely on.
More donors of Black heritage are also needed to provide ethnically matched blood for people with sickle cell. Hospitals need a record 250 donations a day for sickle cell, which is the fastest growing genetic blood disorder in the UK.
Why is O Negative so important?
O Negative is the type that can be given to anyone, known as the universal blood type. It is used in emergencies or when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
Just 8 per cent of the population have type O Negative but it makes up for around 15 per cent of hospital orders.
Air ambulances and emergency response vehicles carry O Negative supplies.
Adam Panter, Thames Valley air Ambulance's Chief Operating Officer, said: “When someone is bleeding heavily and time is of the essence, our crew can give them the blood they so desperately need, right at the scene.
"Last year, we gave blood to 96 critically ill or injured patients across the community we serve. That’s almost two patients a week.
“But we can’t perform this lifesaving intervention without those who donate blood in the first place. If you’re O negative and able to give blood, please do so. You could help save a life.”
The NHS says community donation sessions are close to full over the next couple of weeks so are asking people to book an appointment for some time over the coming months to help sustain stocks over the challenging winter period.
Paul O’Brien, Director of Blood Supply for NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Demand for blood never stops. To make sure blood is always there for patients who desperately need it, we need more people to join our amazing community of blood donors.
“Please book an appointment today. Giving blood is quick and easy, and you will save lives.”
Sign up to donate, or if you are already registered, book an appointment at www.blood.co.uk.
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