Third of Brits more charitable during Coronavirus pandemic

* 1 in 3 people (33%) have given more than usual to charity during the Covid-19 pandemic while 44% are feeling more inclined to engage in charitable acts

* Yet despite this the pandemic has caused a significant drop (49%) in blood stem cell donor registrations

* Majority of Brits (75%) would donate their blood stem cells to save a stranger’s life but less than 1% have registered to become a blood stem cell donor themselves during the pandemic

Following new data released this week, we are urging Brits to channel their generosity into registering as blood stem cell donors, following a dramatic reduction in registrations during the COVID-19 pandemic. With lockdown restrictions lifting across the country, we are bracing ourselves for a spike in new blood cancer cases due to delayed diagnoses - and in turn an urgent need for even more lifesaving blood stem cell donations.

It’s not all doom and gloom. The research shows the majority of us are engaging more in charitable acts during the COVID-19 pandemic. 1 in 3 (33%) Brits have given more to charity than they usually would since lockdown, and 44% of us are feeling more inclined to engage in charitable acts. Inspired by lockdown heroes who have gone above and beyond to support others and keep the country from grinding to a halt, from NHS heroes to supermarket workers, and charity volunteers to delivery drivers, the nation has shown a clear desire to help others and act selflessly. Including Gary Kirby, 54, from the Isle of Man who donated his blood stem cell to a complete stranger during the midst of the pandemic.

We are now calling for Brits to channel that generosity into registering as a potential lifesaver in lockdown ahead of Blood Cancer Awareness Month . According to our poll, only 1 in 5 (20%) people know they can still save a life by safely donating their blood stem cells during the pandemic, and just 1 in 4 (26%) are aware that you can still register as a blood stem cell donor, as this is something you can do from the comfort of your own home by registering for your home swab kit.

The research shows Brits want to help people with blood cancer. The majority (75%) said they would donate their blood stem cells to save someone’s life, but less than 1% of Brits have registered to become a blood stem cell donor during the pandemic, showing a gap in action and intention.

Our CEO Jonathan Pearce said: “It’s more vital than ever that we see people registering as blood stem cell donors. It’s heartbreaking for families to discover they are not a matching donor for a loved one and so many turn to the UK’s aligned stem cell registry in hopes of finding a lifesaving match. In the UK, we have registered over 650,000 blood stem cell donors and helped to give over 1,000 people a second chance at life.

We know British people are an incredibly generous and altruistic group, and we have seen the great impact of this over the past few months. But many people simply aren’t aware that they could be a person’s only hope - and that taking that first step to register is something they can do safely from home.”

How you can help

If you’d like to register as a potential blood stem cell donor you can check your eligibility and request a home swab kit today.

Anyone aged between 17-55 and in general good health can go on standby as a potential lifesaver. If you're not eligible or you're already registered, why not check the other ways to get involved in the fight against blood cancer or help us cover donor registration costs?