The rush of blood saving 50,000 lives

New donor centre's success with rare types a huge boost for Black patients

- BY SHANNON MILLER

MORE than 50,000 lives have been saved in a year thanks to a single blood donor centre, official NHS figures have revealed.

More than 17,000 people have given blood at the Brixton Donor Centre, helping to boost supplies and ensure hospitals and emergency services have the lifesaving blood they need.

The amazing achievement comes at a critical time, after the NHS experienced the worst national blood shortage on record in 2024/25.

Top model Jourdan Dunn, 35, whose teenage son Riley has sickle cell disease, is one of the more famous donors to give blood at the centre.

Centre manager Rexford Osei-Bonsu is particularly encouraged by the number of young people donating.

He said: "The most fascinating thing is that more than 50% fall below or around 35 years, which is massive and means that in the long run, they'll be in a position to donate for longer years, which is a success story for me."

The South London centre - which we reported in March broke records

Our report on the centre from March in its first three months by saving an estimated 11,000 lives - once again outperformed national trends.

NHS Blood and Transport said 38% of donors made their first ever donation at Brixton, compared with the national average of 18%.