Following a triumphant launch in Brixton, a life-saving national campaign is arriving in Birmingham this weekend, driven by a powerful personal mission.
A Campaign Rooted in Personal Loss
Activist, content creator, and podcast host Adesayo Talabi, widely known as Simply Sayo, is spearheading the ‘It Takes A Village’ campaign after losing her sister, Elizabeth, to complications from sickle cell. Her other sister, Rebecca, lives with the condition, fuelling Sayo's determination to make a difference.
The campaign, a year-long partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), officially launched during Sickle Cell Awareness Month. Its ambitious goal is to recruit 16,000 new Black heritage blood donors across the UK to address the critical shortage of well-matched blood for sickle cell patients.
Building on Early Success
The campaign's impact is already being felt. The initial blood drives at the Brixton Blood Centre saw more than 100 donors attend, a effort that translates to over 300 lives improved or saved.
Mark Chambers, NHSBT Director of Donor Experience, confirmed the campaign's positive influence. "We saw a significant increase in the numbers of Black heritage people registering to become blood donors in September, with Sayo’s It Takes A Village campaign launch contributing to the rise," he said. "That month we saw more than 600 registrations from Black donors between the ages of 16 to 34 logged in the first week of September, the highest number in over two years."
The Birmingham Drive and the Urgent Need
The next event will be hosted by Sayo on Saturday 29 November from 12:30PM to 4:00PM at the Birmingham Donor Centre (NHSBT), 65 New Street, Birmingham.
The urgent need for Black heritage donors is stark. Sickle cell is the fastest-growing inherited blood condition in the UK and disproportionately affects people of Black heritage. Many patients require regular blood exchanges and need specific blood types, like the Ro subtype, which is ten times more common in people of Black heritage.
This Birmingham event is a collaborative effort, organised as a group booking by the African Caribbean Medical Society (ACMS). Students from the ACMS and African Caribbean Societies (ACS) at the University of Birmingham and Aston University will be attending and supporting the drive, joining forces with Sayo to mobilise the local community.
To book an appointment for the Birmingham blood drive, use the dedicated booking link. To register as a blood donor, visit blood.co.uk.
