"I still wanted to make a difference"

Upon learning that there wasn’t high demand for her blood type, primary school teacher Emma Greenwood found another way to make a lifesaving difference: giving plasma.

Taking inspiration from her dad, a long-time donor, Emma says plasma donation leaves her feeling “incredibly proud.”

Although it is a rare and important blood type, Emma’s AB positive is usually not in particularly high demand as it can only be used to treat people who also are AB positive as well.

However, by donating plasma instead of blood, Emma has found a new way to save lives: donated plasma like hers is used to make medicines that around 17,000 people rely on every year.

"I still wanted to make a difference," says Emma. "I learned that plasma is used to create lifesaving medicines for people with serious and chronic conditions and I knew this was a way I could continue helping others."

Plasma medicines treat over 50 different diseases. We need more people with A positive, O positive and B positive blood types to donate plasma.

"I'm lucky to be healthy and I believe in doing what I can for those who aren't," says Emma. "A big part of my inspiration comes from my amazing dad, Dave, who has been donating blood, platelets and plasma since 1972. His dedication over the decades really showed me the power of giving."

"If you've ever thought about donating plasma, I highly encourage it; it really does save lives and it's a surprisingly relaxing experience."

Giving plasma is similar to giving blood. After your first plasma donation, regular appointments take around 60 minutes, with the donation itself lasting around 35 to 45 minutes.

"I just sit back, unwind, read and the process takes place," says Emma. "Afterwards, you walk away feeling incredibly proud knowing you've helped save lives.

"Plus, the free snacks at the end are a great little bonus!"

We ask female donors with AB positive blood to wait until contacted directly by us before donating. Male donors with AB positive blood are encouraged to donate as frequently as possible.

To find out more about donating plasma at one of our 3 centres in Birmingham, Reading and Twickenham, visit our plasma donation website.