Bristol's Torkwase Holmes is face of NHS blood donor campaign

The mural at London’s Stockwell Hall of Fame was created by renowned British street artist Dreph

A blood donor has become the face of a national campaign to celebrate donors of black heritage and encourage more of them to come forward.

Torkwase Holmes, from Bristol, said giving blood "was the most worthwhile thing I have ever done", as the NHS campaign began.

She and four other blood donors feature in a 20ft (6m) high mural in London's Stockwell Hall of Fame.

Created by street artist Dreph, it coincides with National Blood Week.

Ms Holmes, 60, said: "There is nothing more rewarding than contributing to saving someone's life, even more so for those in my community suffering with sickle cell and thalassemia."

NHS Blood and Transplant said donors of black African and black Caribbean heritage in the south-west are at an "all-time high", but the shortage remains critical.

The number of regular donors of black heritage in the region reached almost 950 in the year to April, while a record further 325 gave blood for the first time.

Ms Holmes said there was "nothing more rewarding" then helping to save someone's life

Dr Jo Farrar, chief executive of NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "It is fantastic that more people of black heritage than ever before are saving lives by giving blood.

"But we urgently need more regular black heritage donors so that sickle cell patients can receive the best treatment."

NHS Blood and Transplant said sickle cell disease is more prevalent in people of black heritage and blood from a donor of the same ethnicity provides the best treatment.

It said the NHS does not have enough blood from people of the same ethnicity, so some patients are treated with the universal O-negative blood type, which is clinically safe but can can pose serious health risks.

'Safe and easy'

It can also make it even harder in the long term to find blood they can receive, the spokesperson added.

Dr Farrar implored people to join "our amazing team of Giving Types".

"Giving blood is safe and easy and in just one hour you can save up to three lives," she added.

The NHS needs 12,000 new black heritage donors this year to meet the growing demand for ethnically-matched blood.

National Blood Week runs until Friday.

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