Tokens of appreciation. You’ll hear that phrase often, but before we explain what it means at a blood donation clinic, let’s pause on what it can never be. The true meaning of donating blood is not a mug, a pair of socks or a small thank-you gift.
It is life.
In just 30 minutes of your day, you can save up to three lives. One donation can mean a daughter walking down the aisle with her father. A mother watching her child grow up. A grandmother holding her grandchild for the very first time. These moments are priceless, made possible by someone who chose to give blood.
That is the real gift.
Blood donors are never paid. Blood donation can never be remunerated because doing so would compromise blood safety. Blood donors’ motivation should always be to save lives. At the same time, donors may sit on the bed and wonder, “Why did I not receive a bag as a gift?” or “I didn’t get a mug the last time I donated.” These are all fair questions, and we would like to discuss them today.
Not all tokens of appreciation look the same, because not all donation journeys are the same. Some mark a donor’s first donation, others celebrate milestones reached over time. Some are linked to special campaigns, such as Bring-a-Buddy or Heritage Day, while others form part of our commitment campaign. What you see around the clinic reflects the different moments being acknowledged.
Celebrating milestones along the way
We also understand that donating blood is personal. Your first donation matters. That moment when you’re nervous, unsure, but brave enough to sit down and try. We see you. That’s why first-time donors receive an additional token of appreciation.
We also acknowledge donation milestones:
- 5th, 10th, 25th, 35th, 50th, 70th, 100th
- 125th, 150th, 175th, 200th, 225th, 250th, 275th, 300th, and up.
Each milestone comes with a different practical, usable item. From the 125th donation onward, donors receive a TFG voucher, which allows them to choose something they want from participating retailers.
Still, the milestone itself is the achievement, and we celebrate that with you.
Why do we offer a token of appreciation?
When you visit a Western Cape Blood Service clinic, we offer a token of appreciation for one simple reason: to say thank you for your time.
Not to reward you. Not to motivate you. To acknowledge your generosity and your willingness to spend your time giving back. Over the years, donors have come to love some of these small items. At times, it may be a calendar, a reusable water bottle or even a sunscreen. Our winter blood donation socks are a favourite. Practical. Useful. Modest. A small thank-you.
Turning thanks into something more: The Extra Drop Project
In March 2025, we launched the Extra Drop Project, giving donors another choice. Instead of accepting the token of appreciation, you can ask us to donate R15 on your behalf to a worthy organisation we support. It is a small decision that creates a ripple of good beyond the donation chair.
So far, we have supported seven different non-profit organisations, and thousands of donors have opted in to support them through this initiative.
If you’d like to see the charities we’ve supported, you can read more on our website and follow the journey of every Extra Drop.
Making donation part of the year
We consider someone an active donor if they donate once a year, but the truth is, you can donate far more than that.
Whole-blood donors can donate up to six times a year. Plasma and platelet donors can donate even more frequently. Regular donations help us build a safe, sustainable blood supply in the Western Cape. That’s why we introduced our Commitment Campaign.
It’s a retention programme, yes, but more importantly, it supports a blood system that patients rely on every single day.
The commitment campaign encourages donors to make more than one donation in a year and to set a target. Donate four or more times in a year, and on your fourth donation, you’ll receive an extra token of appreciation. This year (2026), it is a plunger and mug set. When you donate plasma or platelets, your commitment campaign stretches beyond four times. The intervals are 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 17th.
The reason will always matter more than the reward
Sometimes you’ll see different tokens around you in the clinic. A shopper bag, a plunger set, or something you didn’t receive that day. Those moments aren’t about comparison, they’re about celebration. They remind us that every donor is on their own journey, whether it’s a first brave visit, a commitment to donating regularly, or a milestone reached after years of showing up. We celebrate those moments openly and warmly, and we invite you to join us.
We know the real reason you donate. The socks may keep your feet warm, and the mug may start your morning right, but the true reward is knowing that somewhere, someone is alive today because you showed up. Thank you for donating for the right reason. Thank you for choosing life.
