A local youth group is appealing to young people across the nation to donate a pint of blood each to the Sir Lester Bird Mount St John’s Medical Centre to mark World Blood Donor Day today.
One year ago, Halo Generation Y – the youth arm of the Halo Foundation – teamed up with the hospital to launch the ‘1 Pint, 4 Times, 12 Lives’ challenge, in support of the annual occasion.
The campaign yielded a significant contribution to the national blood bank, as several of the nation’s young people stepped up to the plate and supported the drive to save human life.
At the start of the campaign, Michael Joseph, Generation Y’s Chief Operations Officer, said, “The hospital is always in need of blood, no matter what type. We have a tendency to only want to donate blood when a family member is in critical condition — but so many things could go wrong at the last minute, and we may not be in a position to assist.
“Each pint of blood given helps to save three lives, and this is an extremely noble act on the part of the donor.”
The group’s President Brent Scotland thanked those who took part.
“The concept of saving lives is a real challenge when it comes to blood donation. For all those who took the time and mustered up the courage, your humanitarian efforts are certainly praiseworthy,” he said,
Donations are made at the hospital. Anyone who takes part before June 30 will receive a t-shirt from Halo Generation Y.
Email [email protected] or call the Halo Foundation on 562-9153 for further details.