‘I thought my blood was completely ordinary’ - Woman called up to save a life with rare blood

A donor with rare blood has spoken about being called up to help save the life of particular patient.

Julia Gryn, 27, of Thornton Heath, London, is on NHS Blood and Transplant's (NHSBT) Rare Donor Panel.

Julia Gryn with her donated blood at the West End Donor Centre Only around 0.01% of NHSBT's 800,000 blood donors would make be able match the same patient.

She donated at the end of May, at special request for a specific patient.

NHS Blood and Transplant is highlighting her story to show the importance of giving blood and finding rare donors.

Over the past 5 years, the number of hospital requests to NHSBT's Rare Donor Panel has gone up by about 15%. (1)

Julia’s blood will be one of several transfused into a patient with sickle cell, a genetic blood disorder.

The patient has developed antibodies against several antigens on their red blood cells, which means it's hard to find matching blood.

NHSBT only has about 100 blood donors who would be suitable. Julia gave blood at London's West End Donor Centre.

She has donated 12 times and started after hearing about family members and friends getting blood.

Julia's main blood types are O in the ABO system and Rhesus positive (Rh+), both of which are common. But blood type goes far beyond just ABO and Rh.

There are over 350 known antigens across multiple blood group systems, and it’s the unique combination of these that makes someone a rare donor.

Julia is rare because she lacks several common antigens that most people have. Specifically, she does not have the K antigen (from the Kell system), or the M, S, Fya, and Jkb antigens — all of which are frequently found in the general population.

This combination makes Julia’s blood extremely valuable for patients with complex transfusion needs, especially those who have developed antibodies against these common antigens. (3)

Blood donation is an amazing thing - most people can do it

Julia Gryn said: "I've always wanted to donate blood - it just felt like the right thing to do.

"I was invited to join the Rare Donor Panel around May 2020, early in the COVID pandemic. At the time, I thought my blood was completely ordinary - I'd been donating since I was a teenager and never had any indication otherwise. It wasn't until I was contacted that I realised how complex blood typing is and how many blood groups exist outside of the ABO and Rhesus systems.

"Joining the Rare Donor Panel felt different from my regular donations. It feels much more personal. I'm told when a specific patient needs a closely matched donation, and I book in around that. Knowing there's someone waiting who needs exactly what I can give makes the experience feel more direct and meaningful. I usually donate during my lunch break or after work, so it fits easily into my routine.

"During my first donation, one of the team members told me that in their 7 years working there, I was the first rare blood donor they'd encountered. That really stuck with me.

"Blood donation is an amazing thing - most people can do it, and it makes such a big difference. I'm so glad I'm able to contribute in this way. It's really not as scary as some people think. The whole process is quick, the staff are always lovely, and it's such a small act that can help save a life. It's incredibly rewarding."

Statements

Statement from Dr Chiara Vendramin

Dr Chiara Vendramin, Specialty Doctor in Donor Medicine and Clinical Lead for Rare Donors at NHSB Blood and Transplant, said:

"The Rare Donor Panel plays a crucial role in ensuring that patients requiring lifesaving rare blood units can receive them.

"Rare blood donors are defined as individuals negative for a high prevalence antigen with a frequency of less than 1 in 1,000, or negative for multiple common antigens that rarely occur together. They are vital for transfusing patients with complex antibody profiles.

"Over the last few years, there has been an increase in demand, particularly with the increase in regular transfusion support for patients with sickle cell disorder, who often have more complex requirements.

"It's very unlikely that we would find her blood type in stock when we needed it, so Julia is one in a pool of donors that we regularly call upon for a specific patient. We’re grateful to everyone who donates blood and we need more people to donate – you might have rare blood too."

How you can help

Press release notes

NHSBT had 97 enquiries to the rare donor panel in 2020, 121 in 2023, and 112 in 2024. NHSBT has approximately 1200 donors on its Rare Donor Panel.
M is part of the MNS blood group system. S is also part of the MNS blood group system. Fya is part of the Duffy blood group system. Jkb is part of the Kidd blood group system. There are 47 recognised blood group systems and more than 350 recognised antigens.
For an 8 to 9 unit red blood cell exchange, NHSBT will contact about 20 matching rare donors, and aiming to book in 12 to 15 to allow for people not being able to donate on the day or needing to cancel.