By Theresa Goodwin
Laboratory technicians from the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre took to the streets on World Blood Donor Day yesterday in hopes of collecting donations to boost supplies at the nation’s blood bank.
While turnout at the drive on lower Redcliffe Street was lower than anticipated, medical officials hope residents will still take the opportunity to visit the hospital on weekdays to donate, saying it could save their own lives as well as that of others.
Marketing and Communications Officer Salma Crump said hospital officials are working to create more awareness about the importance of donating blood on a regular basis, and not just in cases of emergency or trauma.
“We want to get more people in the country thinking about this, and doing this without hearing a siren anywhere. People are using blood in the hospital every single day and you never know when any of us will be needing it,” she said.
“We now have a bloodmobile which … has made the process so much easier,” she added.
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated globally on June 14 to raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products to save lives. The day is also an opportunity to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their selfless gifts.
This year’s observance was marked under the theme, ‘donating blood is an act of solidarity’.