Urgent festive season plea to give blood

“My dad, my two brothers and I signed up at the same time. We just decided to give blood and I never stopped,” he said.

An avid sportsman in his younger days, Stillwell says over the years his body had got into the rhythm of donations and when he stops he gets migraines.

“What do I really do in the world? Giving a little blood is not much out of me but it can help a lot of people.

“A nurse also told me my blood is very precious because I’m O positive and almost everyone needs it,” he said.

Lose said apart from whole blood, donors can give other blood products like source plasma, platelets, plasma apheresis and platelet apheresis.

The SANBS made an urgent appeal for donors this week as its stocks were critically low and currently sitting at just over a day’s supply.

“The demand for blood remains constant, yet our current supply falls short of meeting this ongoing need. In December, our donations are expected to decline as workplaces and schools and tertiaries close for the holidays.

“Should this decline continue, our ability to meet the needs of patients will be severely negatively impacted,” said Thandi Mosupye, SANBS senior manager for marketing, communication and brand.

Earlier this year Mosupye appealed for more donors, saying only 1% of the population were registered donors. She said donating blood only took 30 minutes and donors should be between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg and be in good health.

For more information you can contact the SANBS on 0800 11 9031 or follow its official social media platforms: Twitter (@theSANBS); Facebook (@SANBS) and Instagram (@thesanbs).