We know that people of Black and Asian ethnicity are more likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes, and conditions such as sickle-cell disease that make them more likely to need a transplant or blood transfusion. We also know that treatment of these conditions is more successful when donors and recipients are of a similar ethnic background.
The problem we face is that there are currently not enough donors registered from the Black and Asian communities. As a result of this, Black and Asian patients make up a disproportionate number of those needing transfusions and waiting longer on the NHS transplant list.
Here at the University of Brighton, we have thousands of students studying healthcare and scientific courses, many of whom are from Black and Asian communities themselves. Working with NHS Blood and Transplant, we’re raising awareness of these issues among our students, giving them the knowledge, skills and confidence to register an informed choice and encouraging them to share their choice with others.