The Royal College of Pathologists is supporting the Missing Type campaign for new blood donors by removing the As, Bs and Os from our logo.

This year’s Missing Type campaign – first held by NHS Blood and Transplant in 2015 – brings together 25 blood services from 21 countries to call for new donors to ensure blood donation for future generations.

Throughout the campaign As, Bs and Os - the letters of the main blood groups - are disappearing in everyday and iconic locations around the world including America, Australia, Japan and Ireland. Patients from around the world have thanked blood donors in a moving video and famous names in participating nations are backing the campaign.

The College is supporting the call for people England to register as the new blood donors of the future.  

In England, there is a particular need for more young blood donors and more black and Asian donors, and more donors with O negative and A negative blood.

Mike Stredder, Director of Blood Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, the service that collects, tests and processes blood for hospitals across England, said: “Blood donation is an amazing gift and we are really grateful to the Royal College of Pathologists for their support. Blood transfusions save lives and we need people in England to register as new donors at www.blood.co.uk.

“Thanks to the generosity of our current donors, hospitals have the blood needed to treat patients and there is not a crisis in blood stocks. Despite overall blood use in hospitals declining, we need more people to start giving blood to replace those who can no longer donate and to ensure we have the right mix of blood groups to match patient needs in the future.

“We need more young donors to help ensure the future of blood donation. We also particularly need more donors from Black African, Black Caribbean, mixed race, Arab and South Asian heritage to become blood donors to reflect the ethnic diversity of patients.

“Don’t worry if you’ve never given blood before and don’t know what blood group you are – you find out shortly after your first donation. What’s important is that you register as a donor and book your first appointment to donate.”

• To sign up as a new donor, visit: www.blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.
• Support the campaign on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram #MissingType.

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• For additional information contact Samantha Jayaram, [email protected]  
• For additional information on blood donation and the Missing Type campaign contact the NHS Blood and Transplant press office on 01923 367600 or via [email protected]