Pupils at a Brixton school today (16 September) met a South London schoolgirl who is the star of a new book about sickle cell disease.
My Blood, Your Blood is inspired by Sydenham youngster Angel Salami, who was diagnosed with sickle cell disorder as a four-year-old – the same age as the reception pupils at Van Gogh school by the Cowley estate who will receive the book.
The book traces the impact sickle cell had on Angel, now 13, and her dad Kehinde, who also lives with the disease.
And it celebrates the Black heritage blood donors without whom Angel would not be able to attend school, play football, or live as normal a life as possible.
Commissioned by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) the children’s book will be provided free to Brixton schools during Sickle Cell Awareness Month (September) for four-year-old pupils to demystify sickle cell disease.
It will also be available in blood donor centres in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Plymouth.
My Blood, Your Blood aims to inspire children and parents to speak about blood donation and the urgent need for more Black heritage blood donors
It is written by award-winning children’s author and educationalist Laura Henry-Allain MBE, who created JoJo and Gran Gran, the globally respected children’s animation on BBC’s CBeebies channel. Illustrations are by Zenovia Grant.
“Thirteen years ago, I was fortunate to receive 10 units of blood provided by inspiring individuals who selflessly donated to help strangers like me,’ said Laura. “As a result, I am here today to write this inspirational and emotive book.”
Designed to be enjoyed by children and adults reading together, the book provides a fun and friendly way for families to learn more about the life-changing impact of blood donation.
It is a positive, uplifting, and accessible story that helps demystify sickle cell disease.
NHSBT hopes the book will also spark conversations in the home, community and classroom about the condition and the vital role blood donations – especially from Black heritage communities – play in combatting the condition.
It will also be available in local Lambeth libraries.
There is an urgent need for more people of Black heritage to become blood donors to help the nearly 18,000 people like Angel and her dad who live with the condition – the UK’s fastest-growing inherited blood disorder, with 300 babies born with the condition every year.
Sickle cell is more prevalent in people of Black heritage, and donors of African, Caribbean or mixed ethnic backgrounds are 10 times more likely than the white population to have the specific Ro blood subtype needed to treat the life-long disease.
This year, NHSBT needs to recruit an additional 16,000 Black heritage blood donors to meet the growing sickle cell need and add to the approximately 20,000 Black heritage blood donors already giving the gift of life.
“I feel really good that the book is based on me,” said Angel Salami. “People can learn what it is like to live with sickle cell and maybe be inspired by me.
“I feel it pushes people to learn more about uncommon blood disorders like sickle cell and the people that live with them. It shows them they are recognised.
“I hope the book makes more people want to give blood donations and learn more about sickle cell from a young age.”
Her father, Kehinde said: “For too long, people with the condition have had to fight to be heard and get the treatment needed.
“Hopefully, education through schools and at a young age will help break down some of the myths and improve the lives of people growing up with the condition, now and in the future.
“It is imperative more people from the Black heritage community understand how they can help people with sickle cell by donating blood.
“I know so many patients with sickle cell who have needed blood transfusions – their lives literally depend on donations coming from within the community. So, the more people donating, the more people can be helped.”
A sickle cell patient may need up to 100 units of blood a year to manage the condition, explained NHSBT director of donor experience Mark Chambers. “So recruiting greater numbers of Black heritage donors is vital to meet the growing sickle cell need.”
He said Angel’s story “is representative of thousands of other people who live with sickle cell in the UK.
Giving blood is quick and easy and only takes around an hour of your time. To become a blood donor, download the NHSBT app, visit: Blood.co.uk or call: 0300 123 23 23.
Brixton blood donor centre
444 Brixton Road, Brixton. SW9 8BH
Open seven days a week, offering appointment times throughout the day, including evening and weekends.
Opening times:
- Monday: 10:20–14:05 and 15:35–19:10
- Tuesday: 08:20–12:05 and 13:35–17:10
- Wednesday: 11:20–15:05 and 16:35–20:10
- Thursday: 10:20–14:05 and 15:35–19:10
- Friday: 08:20–12:05 and 13:35–17:10
- Saturday: 08:20–12:05 and 13:35–17:10
- Sunday: 08:20–12:05 and 13:35–17:10.
