Give Blood 4 Good (GB4G) is a Scottish charity founded in 2019 in memory of Edinburgh student, Patrick Smith. Patrick was a massive advocate for the importance of giving blood, donating on his seventeenth birthday as soon as he could. In his honour, a blood drive was held with over 150 people donating, the majority of whom had never done so before. There was a clear lack of education and awareness amongst young people about the importance of blood donation, a gap that GB4G hopes to fill.
In the years since the charity was formed by four former Edinburgh University Students the team has worked to provide a safe, informative, and encouraging environment for people to learn more about blood donation. There are many misconceptions and fears surrounding giving blood, so the charity aims to improve education and increase participation in blood donation among young adults, and empower people to continue to give blood until they’re no longer able.
Five-time blood donor Clem Owen encourages people to “trust the statistics,” referring to the NHS survey which showed 86 per cent of donors say it was far easier than they expected. She summed up her experiences of donating as “fulfilling” because “you walk out of the building knowing that you have saved three lives.”
Giving blood has a long history of involvement in social issues. The first blood banks in the UK and USA were set up in 1937, in time for the outbreak of WWII which saw a substantial increase in the need for blood donations and transfusions. In the 1980’s, with the rise of the HIV and AIDs epidemic, screening was introduced to try and reduce the spreading. A lesbian group called the ‘Blood Sisters’ did countless mass blood drives in the US to replenish the dwindling stocks that were going to men suffering from HIV and AIDs after it became illegal for gay men to donate blood. In the first blood drive they set up in San Diego, over 200 women showed up to donate.
In 2021, Scotland changed the restrictions for blood donation, finally allowing LGBTQ+ donors. This means that people are now assessed on their individual risk as opposed to their sexuality when donating blood. This was a historic decision that allows donating to be kept safe while keeping it inclusive, and although there is still more work to be done when it comes to the stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ people donating blood, it is certainly a step in the right direction.
GB4G makes sure to highlight exactly who needs your blood, breaking down how it can help people. One blood donation, which will take no longer than 15 minutes, can save or improve the lives of three people. With over 11,000 people donating through GB4B’s encouragement since the charity was set up, that’s an incredible number of lives saved or improved. The blood is first separated to remove all of the white blood cells and then split into platelets, red blood cells and plasma. The majority of blood donated goes to those with medical conditions like cancer, anaemia, and blood disorders like ITP. Blood transfusions are also used in emergency surgeries and blood loss during childbirth. Even the blood that is not able to be used for transfusions does not go to waste. It can often be used for research, training and to develop tests and treatments.
I spoke to two members of the GB4G team about their experience of donating blood and being an ambassador for the charity. When asked why she got involved with the team, Maddie Schwarz said “as I tried to encourage my friends to donate blood alongside me, I always felt that they were resistant, due to the stigma and fear around it. When I heard about GB4G, I was so excited to find a charity that could equip me with the resources and skills to effectively share my love for donating blood with my friends and other students.”
Eliza Sinclair Kidd recalled her first experience of giving blood at seventeen, which inspired her to join the charity; “I remember thinking, this makes me so happy, to know there are all of these generous people out there who genuinely want to do something good for a stranger. It made me feel so hopeful!”
Last week The Student Newspaper did a blood drive, encouraging readers, writers, editors, and committee members to donate if they could. To book your own donation just head to the GB4G website. If you are unable to donate there are still lots of ways to get involved and raise awareness about the importance of donating blood!
As Maddie put it, “ultimately, the best part about this charity is knowing that every donation and person involved is actively supporting and helping people who need it.”
Image via Rhona Bowie.