Appeal for over 1,000 male blood donors in Sheffield

Michaela Swallow, aged 53, from Firth Park, suffered two massive haemorrhages during major operations for uterine and ovarian cancer.

She simply said: “I am alive today thanks to blood donors.”

Her experience has led to her partner, Tracey Hancock, also age 53, to donate blood for the first time, on Michaela’s behalf.

Michaela has shared her story to try to encourage more men to donate blood this National Blood Week as official figures reveal that less than half of donors at the Sheffield donor centre – 44  per cent - are male.

NHS Blood and Transplant, (NHSBT), is urgently calling for more men to start donating at Sheffield donor centre as a result.

Mike Stredder, Director of Blood Donation for NHSBT, said: “Blood donation saves lives.. 

“Giving blood at Sheffield donor centre is quick and easy – we aim to have you in and out within an hour but the actual donation itself should only take around ten minutes.”

NHSBT needs 1,040 new male donors at the donor centre over the next year.

Donors of every gender are welcome, however a strong number of male donors are essential.

?????Men also do not make new antibodies which makes it easier to use their blood in products such as plasma and platelets, which are used for patients with cancer, major blood loss, burns injuries, and more.

Men also generally have higher iron levels than women, so they are more likely to be able to donate on any given day.

To book an appointment, visit blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23???????.