I want to be a doctor and working with Give Blood 4 Good was a chance to get involved with a charity making a real difference
Teen takes part in trailblazing project to raise awareness and understanding about blood donation among young people
ensure she can donate in the future.
Since taking part in the programme, a number of her friends have made their first donation at the age of 17.
Not only did she promote blood donation among fellow students, Mairi took the message beyond the school community by sharing it with members of her family who, in turn, spread the word among their friends and colleagues.
“I think that engaging young people in blood donation can be a challenge because it’s not something they hear about much until they are eligible,” continued Mairi, who said the charity’s interactive approach with students struck a chord.
“We were given examples of mothers who needed transfusions after losing a lot of blood while giving birth, and we also learned about the need for different types of blood and how blood has a short shelf life.”
Megan Petursdottir, education officer at Give Blood 4 Good, said Mairi – who hopes to go on to study medicine at the universities of
Glasgow or Aberdeen – performed
“exceptionally well” in the Young Ambassadors programme.
“Give Blood 4 Good is on a mission to get as many people to give blood as possible,” said Megan, who is keen to hear from Lanarkshire schools that are interested in becoming involved.
“We know that engaging younger people can be a challenge, but by aiming to dispel myths or concerns around blood donation, and engaging young people themselves in telling that story, we hope to increase awareness of the vital role that donating blood can play in saving lives. “Seeing the Young Ambassadors use their creativity and enthusiasm to share the message with their peers, as well as how passionate they became about blood donation – and talking to others about it – was incredibly inspiring, and demonstrates the positive impact that campaigns like the Give Blood 4 Good Young Ambassador Programme can have.”
Last year saw blood donations in Scotland fall to their lowest levels this century, dropping by more than 13,000 according to figures from NHS Scotland.
Give Blood 4 Good believes