Share your story
Whether you've given blood, received it, or stood beside someone who needed it — your story can spark someone else to act.
Writing a story that convinces someone to donate
Your account of donating or receiving blood does more recruiting work than any advert we could run. Submissions here are reviewed by our team and published on the stories page, where people deciding whether to donate go to read what it is actually like.
Write it the way you would tell a friend. Where were you, what was happening, what did you feel before and after, and what would you say to someone who is nervous about the needle? Three honest paragraphs beat a page of formal prose.
If you are writing as a recipient or family member, focus on what the blood made possible — the surgery that went ahead, the delivery that ended safely, the crisis that passed. Leave out clinical records and diagnoses you would not want public.
We edit only for clarity and length, and we check with you before publishing anything materially changed. You choose whether your full name, city and photo appear, and you can ask us to take the story down at any time.
Length
Two to five short paragraphs is ideal. Long enough to feel real, short enough to finish on a phone.
Photos
Optional and never required. Only submit photos of people who have agreed to appear.
Review
Stories are usually reviewed within two to three working days, and we email you when yours goes live.
Control
Choose your display name, and request edits or removal at any point after publication.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I stay anonymous?
- Yes. Many contributors publish with a first name and city only, or fully anonymously.
- What if my donation was years ago?
- Still valuable. Older stories that show a lifetime donation habit are some of the most persuasive on the site.