Cancer survivor fronts new campaign to boost blood donations in Wales

Martin Nicholls, a cancer survivor from Swansea, has teamed up with the Welsh Blood Service to launch a brand-new campaign encouraging businesses across Wales to save lives

The new ‘Make Blood Your Business’ campaign aims to close the gap on the 10,000 business-based donations lost each year following the pandemic and the increase in popularity of hybrid working, with more staff now working from home.

Martin successfully boosted donations in and around the Swansea area after sharing his story and encouraging colleagues to give blood in his role as Chief Executive of Swansea Council. Now, the Welsh Blood Service is helping more organisations follow in Martin’s footsteps to highlight the importance of blood donation through a new toolkit built for businesses of all sizes.

In June 2024, Martin’s cancer went into remission, Martin said, ‘‘You never think it’s going to be you; this is why I am supporting the campaign as someone who has received so many lifesaving transfusions, and I want to give back. I will be forever grateful to those selfless heroes for giving up their time to help someone like me when I needed it the most. I want to use my voice as not just Chief Executive of Swansea Council but as a cancer survivor to encourage as many workplaces as possible to join this lifesaving campaign.”

Martin also has four children who all now donate themselves.

Businesses can support the campaign in many ways, from encouraging employees and professional networks to donate locally to holding blood donation sessions or events on their premises to help the Welsh Blood Service recruit more donors.

Frank Murphy, Area Property Operations Manager at HMP Berwyn Wrexham, is also a proud supporter of the Welsh Blood Service and started donating through his office in 1986.

Talking about why he became a blood donor, Frank said, “I realised we had a great opportunity to promote blood donation to colleagues here at Berwyn, so we organised our own blood donation session for staff. Blood donors have saved my wife’s life more than once and could someday help one of your loved ones.”

The Welsh Blood Service needs to collect around 350 blood donations daily to supply hospitals across the country with enough blood and blood products for patients in need.

Alan Prosser, Director of the Welsh Blood Service, said, “Finding businesses with enough staff on-site to host our donation drives has been a challenge with the increasing popularity of home working.

“This is where we’ve had to think a bit differently, and working with Martin and Frank has given us some exciting opportunities that can work for any business, whether staff are office-based, hybrid or home-working.

“We already have a fantastic group of organisations working with us, and we hope this campaign will help more businesses to support us and join our community of lifesavers.”