Bee A Hero: Marcus Gayle Donates Blood for the first time!

Follow Brentford FC Club Ambassador Marcus Gayle’s blood donation journey.

In response to NHS Blood and Transplant declaring its first-ever amber alert over low blood supplies in October 2022, Brentford FC Club Ambassador Marcus Gayle recently gave blood for the first time.

This followed an urgent call for more donors of black heritage to treat sickle cell, the fastest-growing genetic condition in the UK. Sickle cell is more prevalent in people of black heritage and ethnically matched blood provides the best treatment.

Marcus’ donation is in support of the Bee a Hero campaign in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant. The campaign launched on Saturday as the Bees drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace at the Gtech Community Stadium. Fans in attendance also had the opportunity to find out their blood type at the Hive

Ro and B positive blood types are urgently needed to treat the 15,000 people in the UK suffering from sickle cell disease. Black blood donors are ten times more likely to have these blood types.

Watch below as Marcus headed to the NHS Blood Donation Centre in Shepherd’s Bush.

Only 1% of current blood donors in the UK are black – that’s 11,400 people. Follow in Marcus’ footsteps and Bee A Hero today. Help to save a life and register to give blood now.

To find out more information and register online, click here: https://www.blood.co.uk/why-give-blood/demand-for-different-blood-types/why-more-black-blood-donors-are-needed/?utm_source=weblink&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=weblink_227&utm_content=brentford_fc_web&utm_term=bame