Give blood, help save lives
Tenminutes ofyourtime canmakea realdifference
What would you do if you had a spare ten minutes in your day? Pop to the shop? Browse on Facebook? Or potentially save a life?
That’s how long it takes to donate blood, and I joined the scores of people who were at Hillhouse and Earnock Community Centre last week to make a difference.
And thanks to the 170 people who were there, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBT) will now be able to save or help the lives of 510 others.
It was my fifth donation and I wanted to speak to others about why they do it and raise awareness about the great work done by the team.
Mary Maguire from Larkhall said: “This is my 50th blood donation, so I get a badge today. I started donating many years ago, it’s just great to be able to help out.”
Vicky Greenan (26) from Hamilton said: “My mum had to have a blood transfusion when my brother was born, so it’s good to give something back.”
And Debbie Dixon (39) from Hamilton said: “This is only my second time donating. My daughter Amy was born prematurely and needed a transfusion when she was born, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.” One donation is about 470mls which is just under a pint (I know because I envisioned a pint of lager) and the impact you can have on the lives of others is huge.
So where does it go? Figures show 67 per cent of blood donations are used to treat medical conditions including anaemia, cancer and blood disorders.
Around 27 per cent is used in surgery – including cardiac surgery and emergency treatment – and six per cent is used to treat blood loss after childbirth. As I sat down to donate my own pint, I looked around the busy hall and felt very proud to be one of the 170 donors at Hillhouse.
A SNBT spokesperson said: “Once again the residents of Hillhouse and the surrounding area have shown their tremendous support.
“We were delighted with the overwhelming turnout at the donating session on May 3, and we very much appreciate each and every one of the
170 blood donors who attended. We were also delighted to welcome 13 new blood donors, donating for the first time.
“As each donation can be split into three separate parts (red cells, platelets and plasma), this means the blood donors of Hillhouse will save or improve the lives of up to 510 patients in Scotland.
“On behalf of those who cannot thank you personally, thank you.”