All Types Can Save Lives campaign appeals for plasma donors

An NHS campaign is seeking more people to become donors at the Twickenham plasma donor centre.

NHS Blood and Transplant is launching the All Types Can Save Lives campaign to raise awareness of the fact donating plasma helps to save lives. Plasma contains antibodies, part of your body’s immune system, which help to strengthen or stabilise patients' immune systems. 

When you donate plasma, it is used to do a variety of things, such as help babies’ hearts continue to beat, protect pregnancies, boost burn treatments, and create medicines that are used to treat more than 50 diseases. 

Twickenham’s plasma donation centre is one of three in the UK, and located on Floor 8, Regal House, 70 London Rd, Twickenham, TW1 3QS. While there are over 1,800 active donors in our borough, the centre needs around 1,200 more people to become donors to keep up with demand. 

NHS Blood and Transplant research shows most people are willing to give plasma if they have heard about it, but many people don’t know if they are eligible or worry they will not be able to donate.

You are eligible to donate plasma, regardless of blood type, if you are: 

• 17 to 65 years old - if you are over 65 years old you may still be able to donate and you can check your availability
• In good general health

Donation is similar to blood donation, except a machine next to the donor filters out the plasma. The donor then gets their red blood cells back, which means they can carry on with their day as normal. Donating takes about an hour.

Find out more, sign up to donate, and book your appointment by visiting the NHS Give blood website.