African-American blood donors hold the power to save other African-Americans in need of a blood transfusion. That’s because donors with genetically-similar blood are more likely to be a match for patients from the same ethnic background.
When it comes to blood donations, researchers have found that African-Americans are under-represented among donors and that minority donors in general are less likely to become regular donors.
Why should African-Americans donate blood?
Increasing African-American donations is vital because blood types O and B, the blood types of about 70 percent of African-Americans, are also the blood types most in demand.
Genetically-similar blood is preferred for those who need repeated blood transfusions, and for conditions like sickle cell disease (SCD), which primarily affects African-Americans. Blood that closely matches that of a patient is less likely to be rejected by the patient and can mean fewer complications after a transfusion.
African-American blood donors are more likely to be a match for the majority of individuals with SCD in the United States, making them ideal donors to help SCD patients receive regular blood transfusions.
For more information on Blood Donations please visit the following links
Organizations
American Red Cross (ARC)
Blood Centers of America (BCA)
There’s no Tymia without the A #Missing Type
To see how your donations change lives view these Red Cross Videos about blood donations……When is the last time you donated life-saving blood?