‘Every blood donor is a hero’, that was the theme for Thursday’s observances of World Blood Donor Day and the Berbice Regional Health Authority (BRHA) is planning to honour its heroes in Berbice.
Blood Recruitment Officer of the National Blood Bank in Berbice, Candy Archer, said 500 units of blood have been collected for the year so far. She added that the target set by the BRHA is 2,000 units, “so we are hoping to reach that target”. The public’s response, she added, has been “fair”. She said she hoped it would speed up a little bit more, and “more blood drives are being planned, so I am just urging the public… whenever they hear a blood drive is being planned, they can find out it if it is within their area and come out and donate blood, because giving blood, you save three lives and it’s a good and healthy thing to do”.
She expressed thanks to blood donors, especially voluntary blood donors, “for all that they have been doing for the month of June.” She stated that there will be an activity to show appreciation for blood donors”.
Archer said her role at the Blood Bank, which is located in the compound of the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, “is basically to recruit donations through NGOs; plan blood drives through faith-based organisations and also organise with communities.”
The benefits of giving blood are numerous, Archer said. “Giving blood is something very important. After each 120 days, your red blood cells die, so when you give blood, it is old blood cells you are giving and your body is able to build new blood cells, so you feel healthier and much younger. It also helps to reduce your chances of having a heart attack and you can lose weight.”
To donate blood, she noted, one must be 17 years of age and older, with a Haemoglo-bin blood count (HB Count) of 12.5 grammes or 16 years with parental consent.
Some of the organisations that help support the work of the Regional Blood Bank in Berbice, she added, are the Number 64-66 Vedic Mandir, Overwinning Bible Church, Port Mourant Training School and New Amsterdam Techni-cal Institute “which are strong organisations that plan 2-3 blood drives per year”.
On 14 June, countries worldwide celebrate World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts. The theme of the 2012 World Blood Donor Day campaign, “Every blood donor is a hero” focuses on the idea that everyone of us can become a hero by giving blood. While recognizing the silent and unsung heroes who save lives every day through their blood donations, the theme also strongly encourages more people all over the world to donate blood voluntarily and regularly.
