Blood Disorders

Iron-deficiency anaemia affects roughly 3% of men and 8% of women in the UK and is usually caused by blood loss (menstruation, gastrointestinal bleeding) or poor absorption. Symptoms include tiredness, breathlessness, pale skin and brittle nails. NICE recommends investigating the cause in any adult — not just treating the iron.^{[1]NHS[2]NICE CKS}

Sickle cell disease mainly affects people of African and Caribbean heritage. All newborns in England are screened via the heel-prick test. A 2021 APPG report (No One's Listening) found serious failings in NHS care during sickle cell crises.^{[3]NHS[4]Sickle Cell Society}

Thalassaemia is a group of inherited haemoglobin disorders common in people of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage. Severe forms require lifelong transfusions and iron chelation.^[5]UKTS

Haemophilia A and B and von Willebrand disease are bleeding disorders managed through specialist NHS haemophilia centres with clotting factor replacement.^{[6]Haemophilia Society}

Blood cancer is the UK's fifth most common cancer and third biggest cancer killer. Around 40,000 people are diagnosed every year. Warning signs include unexplained bruising, persistent fatigue, repeated infections, night sweats and unexplained weight loss — symptoms easily missed.^{[7]Blood Cancer UK}

• Blood Cancer UK Support Line · 0808 2080 888 (Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Wed 10am–7pm) · bloodcancer.org.uk
• Leukaemia Care · 08088 010 444 (Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm) · leukaemiacare.org.uk
• Lymphoma Action · 0808 808 5555 (Mon–Fri 10am–3pm) · lymphoma-action.org.uk
• Sickle Cell Society · 020 8961 7795 · sicklecellsociety.org
• UK Thalassaemia Society · 020 8882 0011 · ukts.org
• The Haemophilia Society · 020 7939 0780 · haemophilia.org.uk
• Anthony Nolan (stem cell donor register, ages 16–30) · anthonynolan.org^{[10]Anthony Nolan}
• NHS Give Blood · 0300 123 23 23 · blood.co.uk^[11]NHSBT