Yorkshire widow to donate 20 pints of blood as mark of thanks for late husband's transfusions

Deborah Wilkinson, 29, became a blood donor after her late husband Peter received blood during eight years of treatment for a rare and aggressive brain cancer called pineoblastoma.

Mr Wilkinson received 10 blood transfusions but succumbed to the cancer in October 2015, dying aged just 29, prompting his wife to commit to giving back the same amount of blood he received.

It is thought that it will take Mrs Wilkinson seven years to donate the blood as women can only do so every 16 weeks.

Her pledge comes as NHS Blood and Transplant urges more people to donate blood after the number of new donors in England in 2015 was found to be almost 25 per cent lower than a decade prior.

“It’s almost like I’m giving back Peter’s blood,” Mrs Wilkinson said. “I saw the difference transfusions made to him. It’s easy to give blood and I’d urge everyone to consider it.

“Peter was charismatic, lovely, and full of life. We learned to live for the moment.”

Last year, almost 90,000 people across Yorkshire gave blood at least once but new blood donors are crucial for ensuring there is the right mix of blood groups to meet patient need in the years to come.

There is a particular need for more young people and those of black or Asian backgrounds to become donors.

As a result NHS Blood and Transplant and 25 blood donor organisations across the world have launched the Missing Type campaign to raise awareness of donation and the need for new people to get involved.

It will see As, Bs and Os – the letters of the main blood groups – disappear in everyday and iconic locations around the globe to illustrate the issue.

Mike Stredder, director of blood donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Blood donation is an amazing gift and transfusions save lives in Yorkshire and the Humber every day.

“Whether it is patients receiving treatment for cancer, blood disorders, after accidents or during surgery, or new mums who lost blood in childbirth, blood is an absolutely essential part of modern health care.”

NHS Blood and Transplant has dedicated blood donor centres in Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield.

For further information or to become a registered blood donor visit blood.co.uk or call 0300 1232323.