Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Joins NHS To Recruit Black Blood Donors

With the imminent release of Marvel’s highly-anticipated film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) have launched a campaign tapping on the movie’s popularity to recruit more Black heritage blood donors. 

The partnership, the organization’s second with Marvel Studios, is part of its larger Not Family, But Blood initiative, in hopes of encouraging more Black donors—who are urgently needed to meet the increasing demand in hospitals. 

According to the NHSBT, hospitals in the UK currently require 250 donations daily to treat sickle cell disease, as compared to the 150 donations needed five years ago. 

It’s important to recruit donors of the same ethnicity, as ethnically-matched blood provides the best chance of treatment, with fewer long-term risks to the patients receiving the donations. 

Interestingly, it appears that involving Marvel superheroes in the push did work, with over 884 people of Black heritage signing up to donate blood on the first day the campaign launched. 

Subsequently, there were 1,866 donor registrations during the first week, a 700% increase from just the week before. The NHS is still calling for individuals aged 16 to 24 to come forward as donors of the future. 

“We hope this exciting collaboration will help us reach a new Black audience with the message that they have the power to provide life-changing blood donations for sickle cell patients,” said Zeeshan Asghar, Head of Commercial Partnerships for NHSBT. 

[via The Drum and NHS Blood and Transplant, cover image via NHS Give Blood]