By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Published: 00:01 GMT, 29 December 2025 | Updated: 00:38 GMT, 29 December 2025

Of all the hundreds of thousands of blood donors in the land, it may seem unfair to single out just ten.

But these aren't just any ten volunteers – these are super-donors who have gone the extra mile, giving blood, plasma, platelets and stem cells over the last 20 years.

The ten men aged between 31 and 64 are all also on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Blood, plasma, platelet and stem cells are used to help treat a variety of injuries and illnesses including life-threatening accidents and cancer.

Among the ten is Andy Stowe, 64, a council officer from Birmingham who started donating blood as a teenager. 

He gave stem cells in 2013 and now donates plasma every two weeks.

'Being able to donate is such an honour – it's something I have always loved to do,' he said. 'It's currently extra important to me as my wife may soon need to have a plasma-based treatment for a health issue and it's brought home just how important it is that there are donations there when people need them.'

Fellow super-donor Dr Christopher Black, 31, is an anaesthetist from Leicester who made his first donation as a medical student. 

Dr Christopher Black, 31, (pictured) is an anaesthetist from Leicester who made his first donation as a medical student, and has now been dubbed a 'super-donor'

Since the NHS Blood and Transplant service (NHSBT) was established in 2005, just ten people have been dubbed 'super-donors' (File image) 

He said: 'At work, I see the reality of how blood can bring people back to life and the reaction of family members when they hear their loved one is going to be OK.

'The fact that I can pick up the phone, ask for blood and have it delivered right away can only happen through the work of hundreds of people and one particularly special person – the donor.'

Since the NHS Blood and Transplant service (NHSBT) was established in 2005, just ten people have been dubbed 'super-donors'. 

Mark Chambers, of NHSBT, said: 'It's a very rare thing for somebody to have directly donated every blood component and the fact these ten men have – and are also on the Organ Donor Register – truly shows their dedication to helping as many people as they can.'

In 2024, 964,000 people donated to NHSBT. Mr Chambers said: 'We hope that by sharing these stories, we might encourage others to take the step.'

Andrew Bruce, 58, a fire safety adviser from Co Durham, made his first blood donation at the age of 18 and donated stem cells in 2010. 

He has type O-blood – also known as the universal blood type because it can be given to anyone in emergencies.