It’s this time of the year again – a time for giving, a time for sharing and a time to spend with those you love.
This is also a time of the year in which many patients across the province wish to spend the Festive Season with their loved ones. Through donating blood, you can make this a reality for many of those patients.
Blood donation decreases during the Festive Season, while the demand from hospitals stays the same or even increase. Many regular donors are on holiday and a lot of the blood donation venues where blood is collected on a regular basis are closed over this period. This means fewer opportunities to collect blood. Blood cannot be artificially manufactured, therefore the Service relies completely on voluntary blood donors. With only one donation of 475ml, you can save the lives of at least three people. Whole blood, donated at the donation clinic, is usually divided into it’s three main components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Each of these components are used to treat different needs, be it for emergency treatment, trauma, severe shock, burn wounds, and many medical conditions like leukaemia, anaemia, haemophilia, as a clotting agent or for bone marrow production, to name but a few.
The basic donor criteria asks one to be at least 16 years of age, weigh more than 50 kg’s, be in good general health and live a safe lifestyle. It is also important that a donor donates blood in goodwill and not for own gain.
Therefore, it is with great excitement that the Service introduces it’s new campaign, “We know you have a heart”. This campaign plays on both the literal and figurative meanings of ‘having a heart’. By showing people having their heartstrings tugged, we prove that they indeed have a heart, which means they must have blood and are therefore able to donate some.
While you are relaxing this Festive Season, head to one of our many blood donation clinics which will be held across the province and give the lifesaving gift to someone in need. It’s easy to find your nearest blood donation clinic. Simply visit www.wpblood.org.za or contact us at 021 507 6300 / info@wpbts.org.za.
Do something remarkable this season. Donate blood.