'We need to do it' - Bristol mum appeals for more black blood donors

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A mother from Bristol is calling for more black people to donate blood after her daughter died when she failed to find a stem cell match.

Mary Gate's daughter, Yvette, died in 2010 after being diagnosed with the rare blood condition Aplastic Anaemia.

But Mary says she was kept alive for seven years thanks to regular blood transfusions.

Mary said: "I can't thank people enough for donating their blood. We went to the hospital and the blood was always there".

Yvette was a sporty and energetic girl who had aspirations of becoming a doctor.

But at the age of ten, she could not walk up the stairs without becoming out of breath.

Tests uncovered a rare blood condition which meant her body was not producing enough red blood cells.

Yvette was diagnosed when she was 10-years-old. Credit: Family video

Yvette started receiving regular blood transfusions but what she needed a bone marrow transplant.

Despite years of searching, a 100% match was never found.

Her mother, who was not an exact match, eventually donated her stem cells. But Yvette caught an infection and died at just 16-years-old.

Mary said: "I remember when I lost Yvette. My world ended. It was like half of me was gone."

According to the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), there are currently 12,600 black blood donors in the UK.

There is a blood donation session taking place at The Malcolm X Centre in St Paul's on Sunday 3rd October. Those interested in taking part can call 0300 303 2805.

Beverley De-Gale, from ACLT, said: "The number of Black blood donors has increased in recent years but there is still a long way to go. 

"By asking the Black community to step up and donate during World Sickle Cell Awareness Month or Black History Month, we hope it will contribute to the much-needed blood stocks now and in years to come.

"[This] will contribute to maintaining and saving the lives of patients who rely on blood transfusions to treat illnesses such as sickle cell, during childbirth, emergencies and like Yvette, blood cancer as well as other medical conditions".

Mary is now backing a campaign to get more black people to donate blood after it helped prolong Yvette's life.