Donating blood to help

Katikati’s John Barrett has been donating blood for 55 years, since he was around 16.

John is among 32 per cent of Kiwis who are A+ blood type and was one of many locals donating blood in Katikati last week.

The NZ Blood Service team of registered nurses and phlebotomists (donor technicians) set up eight comfortable chairs in the Katikati Memorial Hall. The procedure to give blood takes around five minutes, depending on the veins. About 470mls of blood is taken from each donor.

Blood types are divided into eight main groups. According to the NZBS blood donor database of 2013, 38 per cent of Kiwis are O+ (positive), nine per cent O- (negative), 32 per cent A+, six per cent A-, nine per cent B+, two per cent B-, three per cent AB+ with only one per cent AB-.

Lion members helped donors with a hot drink and biscuits afterwards.

A regular donor, John Barrett relaxes while giving blood.