South London is at the centre of a new NHS appeal for more Black African and Black Caribbean blood donors, as thousands of people living with sickle cell disorder in the capital depend on regular access to closely matched blood.
NHS England London said on September 7 that around 10,000 people with sickle cell disorder live in London. However, only 3% of blood donors nationally are from Black communities, while people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage are up to ten times more likely to have the Ro blood type needed by many sickle cell patients.
Sickle cell disorder causes red blood cells to become abnormally shaped, potentially blocking blood flow and causing severe pain, organ damage and other life-threatening complications. Many patients require regular transfusions or blood exchanges to manage their condition.
The shortage of suitable blood is particularly significant in London. NHS Blood and Transplant reported that in 2023/24, an average of 210 blood donations a day were needed across England to treat people with sickle cell disease, with around 160 of those units required by London hospitals.
A South London lifeline
University Hospital Lewisham has become an important part of the capital’s response. Its Acute Sickle Cell Unit opened in January 2025 as one of seven national pilot sites, providing specialist care around the clock.
According to NHS England London, patients attending the unit are seen in an average of eight minutes, compared with a national target of 30 minutes.
For patients, that difference can be significant.
Taiwo Adeleke, who was diagnosed with sickle cell disorder as a child and receives regular transfusions, said she feels extremely weak before a blood exchange and describes the Lewisham unit as a “lifesaver”.
Another London resident, Shorna Besa, said the specialist team gives her confidence that she will receive both clinical and emotional support during a crisis.
Michael David Lane Barns, Lead Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Haematology and Consultant Paramedic at University Hospital Lewisham, said the service was created around what patients said they needed: rapid access to specialist staff who understand their condition.
He also stressed that the service depends on a reliable supply of safe, well-matched blood.
Why Black donors matter
Blood from donors with similar ethnic heritage is more likely to provide the close matches needed by many people with sickle cell. NHS Blood and Transplant data shows that 56% of Black heritage donors have the Ro subtype, compared with 2.4% of donors from other ethnicities.
South London already has a dedicated resource in Brixton, where NHS Blood and Transplant opened a permanent donor centre designed with the local community in mind. The centre was established partly because of the area’s large Black heritage population and potential to increase blood donations.
As Sickle Cell Awareness Month continues throughout September, the NHS is urging eligible people aged 17 and over to consider donating.
For South London patients living with sickle cell, the message is straightforward: a donation made locally could help provide the right blood when it is needed most.
