90's Baby Show Blood Drive Lates
Blood Drive Lates had a social twist on the blood donation experience at the Brixton Blood Donor Centre. It was a positive evening of blood donation, music, food, conversation, and community.
The 90’s Baby hosts became blood donors in 2024 after their campaign with NHSBT and watching Supacell. They realised how important awareness and conversations surrounding this topic are. With this event, they wanted to raise awareness and make blood donation a regular activity within the community – not just something highlighted during Sickle Cell Awareness Month, as there is a real need for blood donors from Black heritage.
To provide the best treatment, patients need blood that is closely matched, and this is most likely to come from a donor of the same ethnicity.
An incredible 42 donations made, over 250 lives saved!
By teaming up with the award-winning podcast hosts, we were able to bring a new environment and perspective to blood donation. We introduced cultural foods, popular music, and interactive games to engage a younger audience, with more than half of the donors being under 35, compared to just 23 percent nationally. Ultimately, this initiative was an example of how community engagement and collaboration can raise awareness and show support for the health struggles faced by the Black community.
Why do we need more Black donors?
Whilst it is important for blood donors of all backgrounds to regularly donate, for patients to get the best treatment they need blood that is closely matched to their own and (especially for Sickle Cell patients) usually comes from someone of the same ethnicity with the rare subtype Ro. As of 2023, only 2% of current blood donors are of Black heritage – that is an estimated 19,300.
