The demand and need for donors of the African heritage for better matched blood for transfusion treatments in Sickle Cell Disease has risen in the last 4 years. The increased demand for some rare subtypes, such as Ro, that are more common in people of Black heritage means we need more black people to become blood donors.
Demand for these subtypes is growing as more people have regular transfusions to treat blood disorders such as sickle cell.
Subtypes are important when someone has regular transfusions as they need blood that matches their own as closely as possible.

With request for support to encourage black blood donors, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Ireland-SCTI, the Irish Blood Transfusion Service-IBTS have created a support relationship to encourage donors both in Ireland above 18years of age to become donors. This initiative is supported by the Immigrant Council of Ireland- ICI and African Professionals Network Ireland- APNI.