Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

UK Thalassaemia Society's art contest to promote blood donation gets overwhelming response

A BRITISH charity’s children’s art competition to raise awareness on thalassaemia and blood donation has received “overwhelming” support from across the world.

Launched in March, the United Kingdom Thalassaemia Society’s campaign received nearly 300 entries from 45 countries.


“Not only have we been bowled over by the overwhelming response and the creativity, but also the high degree of empathy shown in the children’s artwork,” said UKTS chairman Gabriel Theophanous.

“Thalassaemia is one of many conditions and situations where lives depend on blood donors. We cannot stress enough how important it is for people to donate blood if they can.”

Thalassaemia is a chronic blood disorder affecting the genes responsible for production of red blood cells, making patients dependent on regular blood transfusions throughout their lives.

Roanna Maharaj, 30, from Wood Green in London, has beta thalassaemia, which lowers haemoglobin levels in the blood. She has had transfusions all her life, and at one point of time needed blood from nearly 250 people over two years.

“Blood donors are amazing,” said Maharaj. “They are giving somebody like me a chance at life. Without them I would not be here today. They are the invisible superheroes and I cannot thank them enough!”

According to studies, about 10,000 babies are born with thalassaemia every year around the world, and, without timely medical intervention, the condition could lead to death in early childhood.

Thalassaemia had emerged as an evolutionary response to malaria, and hence was prevalent among people from regions such as Asia and South East Asia, the Mediterranean, South America, the Caribbean, Northern and Central Africa and the Middle East.

However, with mass migrations over the centuries, anyone can be at risk today. And that makes awareness on blood donation vital.

“Access to safe blood is still a privilege of the few,” states the World Health Organization. “Most low and middle-income countries struggle to make safe blood available because donations are low and equipment to test blood is scarce.

“Globally, 42 per cent of blood is collected in high-income countries, which are home to only 16 per cent of the world’s population. An adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors.”

According to NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), while people from all communities and backgrounds in the UK do donate blood, fewer than 5 per cent of blood donors who gave blood in the last year were from black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.

That makes awareness campaigns critical, especially with Covid-19 wreaking havoc in global health systems, the UKTS noted.

The charity’s art competition closed on June 4, and the winners will be announced June 14 -- the World Blood Donor Day.

For more details, visit the following link: https://ukts.org/

More For You

Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

Keir Starmer speaks during a reception for public sector workers at 10 Downing Street in London on July 1, 2025. (Photo by CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer faces revolt as welfare bill vote sparks Labour uproar

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer faced the most serious test of his leadership on Tuesday (1) as his government’s flagship welfare reforms came under fierce attack from within his own party.

The day was marked by emotional speeches, last-minute concessions, and a deep sense of division among Labour MPs, many of whom said the proposed changes would push vulnerable people into poverty

Keep ReadingShow less
Lucy Letby

Letby, from Hereford in western England, was charged in 2020 after a series of deaths in the hospital's neo-natal unit.

Three senior hospital staff arrested in Lucy Letby case probe

POLICE on Tuesday said they had arrested three senior staff members at the hospital where nurse Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies. The arrests were made on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.

The investigation was launched in 2023 at the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH) in northwest England, following Letby’s conviction and life sentence for killings that took place between 2015 and 2016.

Keep ReadingShow less
food-delivery-getty

Uber Eats and Deliveroo will tighten ID checks, including facial verification, to curb illegal migrant work after UK government pressure. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Food delivery platforms to step up ID checks after migrant work abuse reports

FOOD delivery companies Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have agreed to strengthen security measures, including facial verification checks, to prevent irregular migrants from working through their platforms, following criticism from the UK government.

The announcement came after the Labour government summoned the three firms for a meeting in response to a report by The Sun which exposed how some migrants were bypassing rules and working illegally in the gig economy sector.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Joseph

Joseph has chaired several BRIT Awards shows and was an executive producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning 2015 documentary Amy.

David Joseph named new CEO of the RSA

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS (RSA) has announced the appointment of David Joseph CBE as its next chief executive officer. He will take over the role in September, succeeding Andy Haldane.

Joseph previously served as chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK for 17 years. During his time at the company, he oversaw its transformation into a global exporter of British music and worked with several major international artists.

Keep ReadingShow less
Labour Rift Deepens as MPs Prepare for Crucial Welfare Bill Vote

People take part in a protest against disability welfare cuts on June 30, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

MPs to vote on welfare bill amid Labour divisions

DOZENS of Labour MPs are expected to vote against the government’s welfare reforms despite recent concessions aimed at easing opposition.

The government had initially planned to tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) but later said the stricter rules would only apply to new claimants from November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less