TWO families have told their stories to raise awareness of the importance of donating blood as the latest campaign to increase donors gets underway.

Without blood donations, the chances of their loved ones still being here today would have dropped massively.

Little Charlie Dawson, one, has been battling stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma since being diagnosed in November 2015.

As part of his treatment for the illness, a form of nerve cancer, he has received more than ten blood transfusions and more than 20 platelet transfusions during aggressive chemotherapy.

His mum, Claire Elms, 31, from Southend, said: “Having a child with cancer is truly the worst thing in the world but we have to be positive for Charlie.

“If he can smile every day while going through the most horrific treatments, then we can smile with him and keep him happy. Charlie is a superhero.”

Claire is encouraging more people to support NHS Blood and Transplants’ latest campaign the Missing Type, which has seen the letters A, B and O - the letters of the main blood types - disappear from road signs and famous landmarks from across the world to remind people of the desperate need for more to sign up as blood donors.

In Essex, supporters include Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Surya Foods, Tilda Rice, and Colchester United FC.

As Claire said: “Without the blood and platelets Charlie would be dead. I urge people to support the Missing Type campaign.”

Although 29,816 people in Essex - including 2,129 in Southend and 2,506 in Thurrock, gave blood at least once last year the number of people becoming donors and giving blood for the first time across England dropped by 24.4 per cent last year.

But new donors are critical to ensure the NHS has the right mix of blood groups to meet the need of patients who desperately need donations to save their lives.

Another family which is only too aware of the difference blood donations make is Samta Khandhia’s.

The mum, from Rayleigh, almost died at Southend Hospital when she suffered a massive bleed when giving birth to her daughter.

Thirty-eight-year-old Samta, a cardiologist nurse at the same hospital, lost five litres of blood - and nearly her life - shortly after her daughter was born.

Happily, after ten units of red blood cells, 24 hours on a ventilator and a stay in intensive care Samta, known as Sam, recovered.

Sam, who was also a blood donor, said: “I want to share my story because giving blood really does save lives.

“I can categorically say I would not be alive and well today if it wasn’t for those donors giving up their time to donate the blood that ultimately saved my life.

“Without it I wouldn’t have had a chance; my baby would be without a mum and my husband would have been a widower at 30.”

With 57.7 per cent of donors in Essex aged over 45 and just 9.9 per cent aged 17 to 24 it’s important more young people sign up to donate to keep stock levels high.

Mike Stredder, Director of Blood Donation at NHS Blood and Transplant, the service that collects, tests and processes blood for hospitals across England, said: “Blood donation is an amazing gift and transfusions save lives in Essex 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 healthcare.

“Thanks to the generosity of our current donors, hospitals have the blood needed to treat patients and there is not a crisis in blood stocks.

“Despite overall blood use in hospitals declining, we need more young donors to safeguard blood donation for future generations. And it’s vital the blood donor community reflects the diversity of the population because blood types vary across communities and patients need well-matched blood.

“We need people from Essex to register today as new blood donors and we particularly need people with blood groups O negative, and A negative to come forward and people from black and South Asian communities.”

So do something amazing today and save a life by registering as a donor at blood.co.uk.