A bleeding shame
Low blood stocks could cost lives these holidays – but donating saved this attack victim
THE availability of blood during his moments of need saved Bruno Watzek when he was the victim of an attack.
Never forgetting the importance of giving blood, he recently gave his 97th unit, 24 years after being stabbed in the neck and thrown head-first from a minibus travelling at 110km.
“My only regret is I can’t give two units at a time,” he told the Independent on Saturday from his Durban North home.
His parents had been called to the hospital to say goodbye because his condition was critical.
“By the time my neurosurgeon arrived I had flatlined for 12 minutes. One is supposedly medically braindead after four minutes.”
Once the doctor had Watzek’s heart going again, he realised Watzek had internal bleeding.
“Because I was a blood donor I received 11 units of blood. That 5.2 litres saved my life.” At that time, the policy was to give donors blood at no charge. Today donors may motivate for free blood.
Months later, after his parents had refused to take advice to turn off the respirators, having been warned their son could suffer brain damage and blindness, he started to move.
“My skin turned red. My neurosurgeon sent me in for a scan and saw there was air in my brain, about to go down to my spine.
“I was rushed in for another procedure that required several units of blood.”
Watzek has regained partial vision in one eye, is able to be “gently active”, swimming and walking on the beachfront, and works in his family business.
He was a 16-year-old schoolboy when he first gave blood when the SA National Blood Service (SANBS) visited his Midlands school, Hilton College.
“My message is – donate your blood. You never know when you might need it.”
The SANBS this week appealed for donors, new and regular, to help them keep stocks up, particularly over the busy festive season.
When Watzek gives inspirational talks to encourage more than the 1% of the population who donate their blood to do so, he thanks the public for “their blood”.
He also jokes that if people donate their eyes or their kidneys, they can only do so twice. However, they can give blood over and over again.
The SANBS has said it is concerned about whether it will be able to collect sufficient blood to meet the December demand.
“We want to encourage the public to find 30 minutes this holiday period to donate blood, because while you are relaxing and enjoying your break your blood will be out there saving up to three lives,” said the SANBS.
To find your nearest donor centre, visit www.sanbs.org.za