The Blood Bag Project

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Leigh Bowser (AKA Leighlalovesyou) is a BA (Hons) Textile Crafts Graduate from the University of Huddersfield. She is the creative mind behind an important fabric art and crafts project that aims to raise awareness of a rare blood disorder. Here she tells us about what inspired her to begin the Blood Bag Project, why it is a cause close to her heart and how people can get involved.

Jacque, Blood bank specialist and fiber artist, USA

Inspiration behind the Blood Bag Project

The Blood Bag Project is a community based craft project that aims to educate people on the rare blood disorder Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, which my two year old niece Chloe suffers from, as well as the importance of blood donation.

Gemma, 23, Art Support Worker, Leeds

DBA means that her bone marrow does not create new red blood cells, causing her to become severely anaemic. As a result, she requires a blood transfusion every 3-4 weeks.  Chloe received 2 transfusions before birth, and will require more than 120 transfusions before she is ten years old when she will be old enough to undergo chemotherapy and receive a bone marrow transplant.  Until then, Chloe needs the help of blood donors of her rare blood type to donate over 35 pints of blood needed to keep her alive.

Stephanie, 17, Student, Huddersfield

Raising awareness through fabric art and crafts

As a response to the fact that I cannot donate blood due to a health condition, I wanted to find a way of combining my passion for fabric arts and crafts with raising awareness of this rare condition that only around 700 people worldwide suffer from. This is when I set up the Blood Bag Project. By creating textile ‘blood bags’, those who are unable to donate blood can help in another way.

Chloe, 6, Liversedge

So far, the project has reached a worldwide audience- receiving bags from America, Australia, Switzerland and Spain, as well as up and down the entire UK.  Over 200 bags have been made by both young and old, novice and experienced crafters.

Chelsea, 25, Artist, USA

How to get involved

If you want to get involved you can go to the projects website and download the free PDF template of a blood bag and get creative – you are encouraged to use any textile materials you wish to make and fill the bags.

You can learn more about the project, as well as blood and bone marrow donation at the projects website:
www.wix.com/leighlalovesyou/thebloodbagproject

You can see ALL of the bags donated so far on the projects blog and Facebook page:
www.thebloodbagproject.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/thebloodbagproject

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