Blood Donors Can Be Heroes, For More Than One Day

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Bowie-inspired poster appeals for donors to 'come back'
during National Blood Week (10-16 June 2013)

To help halt a decline in regular blood donors NHS Blood and Transplant is appealing for people to 'come back' and register to donate during this year's National Blood Week, with a new celebrity poster campaign inspired by this year's come-back king David Bowie.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130613/621706-a )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130613/621706-b )

Actresses Claire Sweeney, Dawn Steele, Wendi Peters and Pooja Shah have all re-created Bowie's iconic Aladdin Sane album shot* to encourage people to 'come back' and register.

Each celebrity has a personal connection to blood donation. Claire's brother and Wendi's husband are both alive due to blood transfusions, Dawn received one after the birth of her daughter and Pooja has been a regular donor for years.  

Claire Sweeney said: "My brother's still here today thanks to a blood transfusion so I know how important it is. Giving blood saves lives - you really can be a hero, for more than one day. So if you haven't donated for a while or ever before do consider coming forward to register."

Over the last decade the number of regular donors has fallen by almost a quarter (23%).  The decline has been highest among people in their 30s, with a 48% drop. Lack of time is a barrier to donation for 9% of people, and for more than one in ten (11%)** not knowing what's involved has stopped them from donating.

Jon Latham, Assistant Director of Marketing at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "For this year's National Blood Week, we're asking people to come back and give blood. We need a steady supply of blood, which has a short shelf life, to help save and improve patient lives. To achieve this we need a large group of regular donors, so we hope David Bowie isn't the only one making a welcome return this summer."

Anyone aged between 17-65, weighing more than 50kg (7st 12lbs) and in general good health could potentially start saving lives by becoming a blood donor.  There is no upper age limit for donors who have donated in last two years.

For more information or to book an appointment visit http://www.blood.co.uk or call 0300-123-23-23.

* Album cover shot by photographer and film producer Brian Duffy

** ICM research May 2011

For more information or to speak to a case study blood donor or recipient or a relevant spokesperson, please contact the NHSBT team at The Red Consultancy: [email protected] / +44-(0)20-7025-6500