4 days ago
A new plaque honouring Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, the UK’s first sickle cell specialist nurse counsellor, will be unveiled at the Brixton Blood Donor Centre this Wednesday.
The tribute celebrates her efforts in raising awareness and improving sickle cell care.
The newly opened Brixton Blood Donor Centre aims to address the growing demand for blood donations, particularly from the Black community. Sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder that disproportionately affects Black individuals, is the UK’s fastest-growing genetic condition, according to NHS Blood and Transplant.
Dame Elizabeth expressed the importance of blood donors, saying:
“We still rely on the generosity of blood donors from the Black community to make a lifesaving difference.”
Reflecting on her groundbreaking work in the 1970s, Dame Elizabeth highlighted the ongoing need for blood donations to support sickle cell patients:
“When I became the country’s first specialist sickle cell nurse counsellor, the disease was not very well known or understood. But what we did know was that the generosity of blood donors, especially from the Black community, was key to alleviating the pain of patients.”
She encourages South London residents to visit the centre, donate blood, and save lives.
The centre, created with community leaders, businesses, and residents, aims to attract more Black donors. People from Black Caribbean and Black African backgrounds are significantly more likely to have the ‘Ro’ blood type, which is essential for treating sickle cell patients. More than half of Black heritage blood donors have the Ro blood type, compared to just 2.4% of donors from other ethnicities.
The Brixton Blood Donor Centre hopes to welcome over 1,000 donors each week. Whether you’re a first-time donor or a regular, your contribution can make a real difference.
