Give blood – be happy
This week we heard Lena Long from the New Zealand Blood Service. This was her first presentation but she performed like an expert. We heard that under four per cent of the population donates blood. One donation can save up to three lives.
A decision was made a few years ago to ban donors who had spent more than six months in Britain due to BSE or mad cow disease. This ban reduced the number of donors but now the ban has been lifted it has allowed for more donors to give blood. However, they still need another 17,000 donors if the Blood Service is to keep up with demand. They do import some blood from the United States to fill the gap, but they would prefer not to have to do this, partly because it costs a lot.
Around 25 per cent of the donations, especially the plasma, go to cancer patients to help them heal more quickly. The remainder is for operations and those involved in accidents as well as some specialised blood products.
If you want to give blood, it is easy. ( Like many club members I have donated lots over the years without any noticeable harm.) There is even a team of people who will collect you from work, take you to the donation point, and bring you back, all for no charge.
Weakly anaemic Julian Bateson
Our Duties
