Ealing Woman VIP Guest at New Black Panther Film Screening
Siliana Coelho had helped NHS campaign to recruit blood donors
Siliana Coelho. Picture: NHS
A 24-year-old woman from Ealing was recently a VIP guest at a recent preview screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Siliana Coelho was being thanked for here support of the NHS campaign to highlight the need for Black heritage blood donors.
Her own life has been saved by blood donors as she has sickle cell and receives blood every six weeks. She shared her story to help the NHS treat people with the same condition as her.
She joined other specially invited NHS Blood and Transplant supporters attending the screening at Hackney Picturehouse the day before the blockbuster film went on general release.
Siliana was diagnosed at birth and she describes sickle cell as dictating every part of her life. She experiences frequent episodes of excruciating pain. Her worst crisis came in 2018 when the sickle cells blocked the blood vessels in her lungs. She needed an emergency red cell exchange and spent three weeks in hospital. The following year she shared a video of herself experiencing an agonising crisis which went viral on Twitter.
Siliana, a mother of one, was joined at the screening by patients, donors and NHS Blood and Transplant partners and supporters.
She said, “It was an amazing experience meeting all types of people coming together for one cause – to raise awareness of the urgent need for more Black heritage blood donors – while also reaping the rewards to enjoy it as one big community.
“Great night, great people and more! It was also a great opportunity for people to find out their blood type and to spread the message about why ethnically matched blood is so important for people like me.”
Zeeshan Asghar, Head of Commercial Partnerships for NHS Blood and Transplant, said, “We were delighted to welcome Siliana to the preview screening as part of our collaboration with Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. We very much hope she enjoyed the event.
“By sharing her story about living with sickle cell, Siliana has helped to raise awareness of the life-changing difference blood donors make - not only for herself but for the many other patients who rely on matched blood.
“We hope that the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever collaboration will help us to reach a new Black audience with this powerful message, and encourage more people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage to become blood donors.”
NHS Blood and Transplant has partnered with the Marvel Studios film in the next stage in its ‘Not Family, But Blood’ campaign to encourage more people of Black heritage to donate blood to help sickle cell patients, amongst others.
The ‘Not Family, But Blood’ campaign generated record numbers of registrations from people of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage when it launched in October.
In the first day 884 people of Black heritage signing up to donate – the highest ever single day figure. During the first week there were 1,866 registrations from people of Black Caribbean and Black African heritage - a 700 percent uplift on the previous week.
It is hoped the collaboration with Marvel Studios will further boost the campaign by reaching more people of Black heritage, particularly younger film fans who may not have considered blood donation. People aged 16-24 are especially needed as they are the donors of the future. The average age of Black heritage donors registering in the first week of the campaign was 31.
The ‘Not Family But Blood’ NHS campaign aims to highlight that, although the Black community is diverse, one unifying thing is the power to provide life changing blood donations. This thought is amplified in the people of Wakanda – different tribes, but together they are stronger, supporting and protecting their community.
Co-branded Black Panther: Wakanda Forever digital content is being shared across NHS Blood and Transplant, Disney and Marvel Studios social channels with a call to action for people to register as a blood donor.
Dr Farrukh Shah, Medical Director of Transfusion for NHS Blood and Transplant, said, “The critical shortage of blood donations from people of a Black heritage means many sickle cell patients often receive less well-matched blood.
“While this is clinically suitable, it can pose a longer-term risk to patients who receive regular transfusions. We urgently need more Black heritage donors to come forward. Giving blood is quick, easy and safe.”
This is NHS Blood and Transplant’s third blood donation film partnership with Disney and its second with Marvel Studios following collaborations with Free Guy in 2021 and Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness earlier this year.
To become a blood donor, register today and book an appointment by visiting this website, downloading the GiveBloodNHS app or calling 0300 123 23 23.
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November 24, 2022