Parktown High School for Girls eagerly donates blood
Parktown High School for Girls learners eagerly donated their blood to the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) on May 9. Blood donation ambassador and learner Jadyn Willer explained that part of her role included encouraging nervous donors. 'A peer promoter's role is to organise the blood donation process. Our role is to also support donors who are nervous, or clueless maybe because it's their first time.'
Read more: SANBS stocks up ahead of school closure and Easter holidays
Willer added that she began donating at the age of 16. She is currently 18, having donated approximately 8 times.
She added that she enjoys donating because she is saving lives, including her own. Through donating, she found out that she has a heart disease, something she wouldn't have known had she not donated.
According to the SANBS, maintaining adequate blood stocks is an ongoing challenge for many countries. 'In South Africa, less than 1% of the population are active blood donors, and, with each unit of blood lasting only 42 days after collection, it is important for blood donors to donate regularly, and for blood services organisations to increase the donor pool.'
Also read: SANBS urges community to donate ahead of festive season
In South Africa, only one person in about 140 donates blood regularly. This means that, most of the time, we are very close to running out of blood, placing the lives of thousands of people who need blood transfusions at risk every day.
SANBS aims to collect an average of 3 000 units of blood daily across the country, to keep up with the demand and have some reserve stock.
A first time blood donor, Nina Peres, said it wasn't bad. 'I donated because my dad often donates and I drew courage and inspiration from him to donate and help other people. After donating I felt tired but mostly fine. The peer promoters are also helpful in encouraging first time donors, and keeping us calm.'
SANBS continues to urge people who are eligible to donate blood to spare 30 minutes of their time to give the gift of life and help stabilise blood stock levels by visiting their nearest sites or mobile drives.
SANBS needs to maintain a blood stock level of five days for each blood group to ensure sustained availability for patients in need.
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Related article: SANBS urgently needs blood donors to step forward
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