RMC's campaign aimed at supporting new arrival communities to give blood and save lives.
Join us for a
DAY OF ACTION
On the 29th November, RMC will be holding a donation day and we want you involved. Once you’ve registered to give blood, sign up using our form and show your support.
Ready to donate?
- Check your eligibility
- Register as a new donor
- Book a slot for our day of action
4,300 blood donations are needed every day
to meet the current needs of UK hospitals
12,000 more Black heritage donors are needed
to meet the growing demand for ethnically matched blood for sickle cell patients who need regular transfusions to stay alive
“Every time you donate blood, you can save up to three lives"
Register today
Giving blood in a simple, safe process that saves lives. Join us, register to give, and donate blood to support.
Who can give blood?
To be able to donate you will need to be:
- be generally fit and well
- be aged between 17 and 65
- weigh between 7 stone 12 lbs (50kg) and 25 stone (158kg)
- have suitable veins (we will check these before you donate)
and meet the donor eligibility criteria which is a series of questions about your current health and travel.
Black, Asian and ethnic minority donations
The NHS need donors from all communities and ethnic backgrounds to donate blood so we can meet the needs of all patients in England. Black, Asian and minority ethnic donors are specifically needed because:
- patients who receive frequent blood transfusions need blood to be closely matched to their own
- a number of blood conditions, like sickle cell and thalassaemia which are treated through blood transfusions, most commonly affect people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
- the best match typically comes from blood donors from the same ethnic background.
How does it work?
The first thing to do is to register to give blood. Once you are registered, you can book an appointment.
On the day of donation, you will be welcomed before being given a health screening which will check it is safe for you to donate. After this you will be able to donate.
Got an event coming up?
Let us know if you’d like us to come and raise awareness of donating blood at your event! We have been running events across the West Midlands already, helping people sign up to become blood donors.
FAQs
Does donating blood hurt?
Beyond the pinch of the needle and the pressure on your arm from the tourniquet, donating blood does not hurt. You may experience some dizziness or lightheadedness during or after your donation.Â
Can I donate if I've been abroad?
This will depend on when you travelled and where. You can use the NHS page to check
Does my ethnicity make a difference?
Everyone is able to donate.Â
The NHS need donors from all communities and ethnic backgrounds to donate blood so they can meet the needs of all patients.Â
For blood transfusions, the best match typically comes from blood donors from the same ethnic background.
What stops you from giving blood?
You can’t donate blood if you:
- have had most types of cancer
- have some heart conditions
- have received blood, platelets, plasma or any other blood products after 1 January 1980
- have tested positive for HIV
- have had an organ transplant
- are a hepatitis B carrier
- are a hepatitis C carrier
- have injected non-prescribed drugs including body-building and injectable tanning agents. You may be able to give if a doctor prescribed the drugs
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There are other medical conditions that may mean you can’t donate.
Visit the health, eligibility and travel section for a full list, or call on 0300 123 2323 to check if you can donate.
Join us on a day of action
On the 29th October and 29th November we want you to come together with us, donate blood and help raise awareness and change lives.
To be able to take part, you will need to have registered to donate
RMC would like to acknowlege the great campaigns led by Joanna Zawadzka, in Scotland, as well as the work of Teresa Buczkowska with the Immigrant Council of Ireland and Forum Polonia, both of which preceed RMC’s campaign. Their work using the term ‘Bloody Foreigners’ raised much needed awareness and led to numerous donations in both Scotland and Ireland.