A nationwide search for compatible blood units was crucial in treating a nine-year-old boy with a rare blood type combination, helping save him from a life-threatening disorder. Qasim Rizwan, from Bolton, has described feeling like his "life has restarted" after recovering from autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA), a condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks red blood cells. Qasim received specialist care at the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) national frozen blood bank in Liverpool, which played a key role in his treatment. His condition was diagnosed in June of last year, but doctors at Manchester Children’s Hospital initially struggled to find a suitable blood match. Qasim has a rare blood type that includes the Rhesus subtype r’r’, which is shared by about one in 10,000 people. Only around 50 donors in the UK have this rare profile. To treat Qasim, medical staff urgently defrosted and sent six matching blood units from the national frozen blood bank, plus an extra unit from a facility in Colindale. One of the units he received was the same age as him, having been donated when he was just eight days old. A donor with the rare blood type was specifically asked to give blood, and the transfusions were given alongside other treatments like steroids and immunoglobulin. AIHA is a rare disorder that affects around 1,200 people in the UK each year. It causes extreme tiredness, a rapid heartbeat, and jaundice, as the immune system destroys red blood cells faster than the body can replace them. Qasim described feeling like he was going to die during his illness, but after treatment, he says he is back to his daily routine and feels his life has "restarted." He is proud of having rare blood and has visited the NHSBT blood bank to thank the staff and donors who helped save his life. Qasim’s mother, Mahnaz Nazar, said her son was a healthy, active child before the illness struck. The symptoms came on suddenly, with Qasim waking up one morning with yellow eyes and skin. After a week of tests, doctors diagnosed the condition and began treating him. The search for compatible blood was challenging, but once they located the rare units, Qasim began to recover. His mother has since become a blood donor herself and praised the medical team for their care and support. NHSBT staff also welcomed Qasim and his family to their facility, where he expressed gratitude to the scientists and donors who helped save his life.