O-negative donors: our universal life-savers
If you have this blood type, do you know how important you are?
O-negative is unique because it is the only blood type that can be given to patients in an emergency, when their blood type is unknown. That’s because O-negative red cells lack the antigens that can trigger a dangerous immune response in patients.
Find out more about your blood group.
We need more O-negative donors
Did you know how few O-negative donors there are? Only around 8 per cent of the population have O-negative blood, yet demand accounts for around 13 per cent of all hospital requests. Collecting enough is a constant challenge and we rely heavily on the support and commitment of our existing donors.
We now offer O-negative donors additional appointments, bookable online via your account.
If you’re an O-negative donor, there’s a 1 in 3 chance that a sibling is too and a 1 in 4 chance that a parent is; average probability in the population is about 1 in 12. Please tell them how important they are, and encourage them to think about becoming a blood donor.
O-negative: running in the family!
Student Emily Dormer started giving blood as soon as she turned 17 after being inspired by her dad, Ian, who has donated more than 70 times. Both Emily and Ian are O-negative.
She says, “I find it a really nice experience. I feel good afterwards and it’s great to get the text about where your blood has gone and know you’ve made a difference. I’ll be keeping giving, I need to catch my dad up!”
“O-negative blood saved my life”
Andrew Robinson (below, far right) needed O-negative blood after crashing his motorbike in a remote forest in the Lake District. He couldn’t be reached by ambulance but thanks to the Great North Air Ambulance’s (GNAA) ‘Blood on Board’ programme, he could be treated immediately at the scene.
Andrew says, “They were working on me for about three hours before I was stable enough to transfer to hospital. My wife was told to expect the worst. The doctors said that if it wasn’t for the blood on the air ambulance I wouldn’t be here today.”
Andrew had massive injuries and didn’t regain full consciousness for two weeks after the accident, and has no memory of it. A blood donor himself before the accident, he can no longer donate now that he has received blood. He says, “The more people that donate the better. Blood donation saved my life.”
"O-negative: ""Uwezo wa kuokoa maisha ya binadamu"" - kama wewe ni mtu wa aina hii ya damu, unajua jinsi muhimu wewe ni?" O-negative ni aina ya damu ambayo inaweza kutolewa kwa wagonjwa katika hali ya dharura, wakati kundi la damu yao halijulikani. Hiyo ni kwa sababu O-negative nyekundu chembe kukosa antigens ambayo inaweza kusababisha hatari immune majibu katika wagonjwa. Tafuta zaidi kuhusu kikundi chako cha damu. Tunahitaji wachangiaji zaidi wa O-negative Je, unajua ni wachangiaji wachache wa O-negative wanaopo? Hata hivyo, asilimia 8 tu ya watu wana damu aina ya O-negative, na asilimia 13 ya wagonjwa wote wanaohitaji damu hiyo. Kukusanya kutosha ni changamoto ya mara kwa mara na tunategemea sana msaada na kujitolea kwa wafadhili wetu wa sasa. Sasa tunatoa watoaji wa O-negative miadi ya ziada, inayoweza kuhifadhiwa mtandaoni kupitia akaunti yako. Ikiwa wewe ni mtoaji wa O-negative, kuna uwezekano wa 1 katika 3 kwamba ndugu yako pia ni na 1 katika 4 nafasi kwamba mzazi ni; uwezekano wa wastani katika idadi ya watu ni kuhusu 1 katika 12. Waambie jinsi wanavyohitajiwa na kuwachochea wafikirie kuwa wafadhili wa damu. O- hasi: kukimbia katika familia! Emily Dormer alianza kutoa damu akiwa na umri wa miaka 17 baada ya kuchochewa na baba yake Ian, ambaye ametoa damu zaidi ya mara 70. Wote wawili Emily na Ian ni O-negative. Anasema, "Ninaona ni uzoefu mzuri sana. Ninahisi vizuri baada ya hapo na ni nzuri kupata maandishi kuhusu ambapo damu yako imeenda na kujua umefanya tofauti. "Wakati wa kuwasili kwake, alitoa ujumbe wa dhati: ""Damu ya O-negative iliokoa maisha yangu"" Andrew Robinson (chini, upande wa kulia) alihitaji damu ya O-negative baada ya kuanguka pikipiki yake katika msitu wa mbali katika Wilaya ya Ziwa." Hakuweza kufikiwa na ambulansi lakini shukrani kwa Great North Air Ambulance (GNAA) 'Damu kwenye Bodi' mpango, angeweza kutibiwa mara moja katika eneo hilo. Andrew anasema, "Walikuwa wakifanya kazi juu yangu kwa muda wa saa tatu kabla ya kuwa imara vya kutosha kuhamishwa hospitalini. Mke wangu aliambiwa atarajie mabaya zaidi. Madaktari walisema kwamba kama isingekuwa kwa damu kwenye gari la wagonjwa la hewa singekuwa hapa leo. Andrew alikuwa na majeraha makubwa na hakupata ufahamu kamili kwa wiki mbili baada ya ajali, na hana kumbukumbu ya hilo. Mtoaji wa damu kabla ya ajali hawezi tena kutoa damu baada ya kupokea damu. Anasema, "Watu wengi zaidi wanaotoa michango ndivyo inavyokuwa bora zaidi. Utoaji damu uliokoa maisha yangu. <unk>