A man who has recently reached his 100th blood donation is urging local residents to follow in his footsteps and help to save lives.
Robert Boocock, 61, from York, is one of fewer than 20,000 B negative blood donors in England. B negative is one of the least common blood types, found in just 2% of the population.
Robert’s appeal comes at a crucial time. NHS Blood and Transplant is calling for more B negative donors as stocks of this rare blood type has reached a worrying low, dropping by 1,000 donors since 2023.
Patients with B negative blood can only receive B negative or O negative, making this blood type especially important in emergencies.
Low B negative stocks can also place additional strain on supplies of O negative, which is the universal blood type used when a patient’s blood type is unknown.
Robert began donating blood when he was 21, inspired by his uncle, who was a regular donor.
He recalled, “I hadn’t realised that when I was quite young, my auntie had an operation that went slightly wrong, and she needed over 20 units of blood to make it through.
“That got me thinking, that’s 20 people that can only donate once every few months. I thought, I’ve got spare in my body, so why don’t I volunteer?”
Since then, Robert has donated regularly for 40 years.
By becoming a regular donor, Robert also found out that his blood was suitable to be given to newborns as it’s free from cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus that most people carry.
Robert said, “Occasionally when I donate, they say this one will be going to the neonatal ward. That’s quite a nice thought that it’s going straight to a little baby, perhaps that doesn’t know they need it.”
A “no-brainer”
The NHS currently has just 1,903 active B negative donors in Yorkshire and the Humber. It is urging people to donate at one of the three permanent centres in Bradford, Leeds, or Sheffield.
Their need for new donors is urgent, and up to 200,000 new blood donors are needed each year to replace those who stop. Robert said, to him, donating blood is a “no-brainer.”
“I like donating blood to a bank account, basically. Unless you put some in, how could you rely on there being some there, when you may need it?
“I would just say, don’t even worry about it. Yes, you might feel the needle go in, but when they say it’s a scratch, they mean that. You get a regular mini health check as well, iron levels and that sort of thing.”
100 donations and counting
After 73 donations, Robert’s uncle had to stop donating due to health reasons. However, he encouraged Robert to keep going, and seven years ago Robert achieved his goal of beating his uncle’s number.
“Once I passed that, I thought, I’m not going to stop now! Let’s see how many I can get, until I no longer can. Hopefully that will be for many years to come,” Robert said.
Daniel Cooper, Assistant Director for Blood Operations at NHS Blood and Transplant, said:
“We are so grateful to donors like Robert who help ensure that the blood is available when patients and hospitals urgently need it. We hope hearing Robert’s story inspires others to donate, as his uncle inspired him.
“Like Robert did all those years ago, the NHS needs young people to sign up and donate. Young people have a whole lifetime ahead of them to become regular donors and are less likely to be excluded due to health conditions.
“We also urgently need more B negative blood donors to stabilise stocks of this rare blood type. If you don’t know your blood type, you will find out after donating, and you might be one of just 2% of people in this rare blood group.”
Priority access
NHS Blood and Transplant is currently contacting all B negative donors, asking them to book appointments as soon as possible. Existing B negative donors will be given priority access and are urged to call 0300 123 23 23 if they are struggling to find availability.
Those with B negative blood are also encouraged to ask family members to donate, as relatives are 30% more likely to share the same blood type. New donors who already know they are B negative can now enter their type during registration to receive priority appointment access.
To find out more or to book an appointment visit the NHS Blood and Transplant website or call 0300 123 23 23.
