Autumn update
In our autumn update, we look at blood donation in BBC drama Casualty, our partnership with the London Dungeon, a newly discovered blood group system, and the sad passing of the B Positive choir's Patricia Watts.
Casualty Christmas Special
This Christmas, BBC's Casualty – the world's longest-running primetime medical drama – is shining a spotlight on blood donation with a special episode airing Saturday 21 December.
Inspired by the constant need for blood across the NHS, the episode focuses on the lifesaving impact of blood donors. The episode, titled 'All I Want for Christmas', comes eagerly anticipated, following the BAFTA-winning 'How to Save a Life'.
NHS Blood and Transplant helped producers of Casualty with their research for the special episode.
NHS Blood and Transplant's Filton manufacturing site received a visit from Casualty's production team, who saw how blood is processed from donation to transfusion. The team also met NHS Blood and Transplant staff working in transport, testing, and manufacturing.
If you haven't already, you can watch the trailer of Casualty's Christmas episode below.
NHS Blood and Transplant-led team discovers new blood group system
A new blood group has been discovered by a research team led by NHS Blood and Transplant scientists, solving a 50-year-old mystery.
The AnWj blood group antigen was discovered in 1972, but until now its genetic background was unknown. The research team, supported by colleagues at the University of Bristol, identified that the AnWj antigen is carried on a protein called Mal, prompting the discovery of the new blood group system, MAL.
We might normally think of our blood as being one of eight types (for example, A positive or O negative), but these types are a combination of two separate systems: ABO and Rh. These two are among many others. The new MAL system is the 47th to be discovered.
More than 99.9% of people have the AnWj antigen, but those who don't have it can react to blood given to them from those who do. The research is good news for these rare individuals, reducing the risk of complications from blood transfusions.
Louise Tilley, senior research scientist at NHS Blood and Transplant, says: "The genetic background of AnWj has been a mystery for more than 50 years, and one which I personally have been trying to resolve for almost 20 years of my career.
"It represents a huge achievement, and the culmination of a long team effort, to finally establish this new blood group system and be able to offer the best care to rare, but important, patients."
The London Dungeon
In celebration of World Blood Donor Day 2024, we partnered with the London Dungeon, aiming to encourage people to register as blood donors.
If you were at the Westfield Shepherd’s Bush Donor Centre earlier this year, you might have spotted some characters from the London Dungeon giving blood.
(Picture: characters from the London Dungeon pose with a blood donation sign)
Visitors to the long-standing London attraction on 26 September were also able to find out their blood type at a free pop-up event at the Dungeon’s tavern.
Together with the London Dungeon, we’re debunking myths, sharing important statistics, and explaining the blood donation process.
The partnership aims to inspire more young people to give blood for the first time.
Want to register to give blood? Sign up on our website today.
Patricia Watts
It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Patricia Watts, who was a much-loved member of the B Positive choir, in September 2024.
Soprano singer Patricia was a founding member of B Positive, who began singing together in 2017 to raise awareness of the need for blood donors in the treatment of sickle cell disorder.
The choir was formed by NHS Blood and Transplant and is made up of singers whose lives are affected by sickle cell.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Patricia’s family and everyone at the B Positive choir.