Opinion: Donor day offers new chance for life-savers

TOMORROW is World Blood Donor Day, a worldwide thank-you to donors everywhere.

Each year they donate over eighty million units of blood, saving millions of lives.

Here in Northern Ireland the day will be marked with special blood donation sessions where it is hoped many new donors will be recruited.

We are asking existing blood donors to bring along new recruits to join this special, worldwide group of life-savers.

The service is currently in difficulties, having lost a large chunk of its donors because of recent law change.

Due to the change in UK Government policy, anyone who has received a blood transfusion since January 1980 can no longer donate.

Already, we have seen almost 700 people being lost from our donor pool - an impact equal to three days blood stocks.

By the end of the year, we expect that number to reach about 4,200.

We have been hit hard and will be plunged into crisis if we don't get new donors.

Those people, who can now no longer give blood, were in many ways our target audience in recruiting donors.

People who have had a life-saving transfusion themselves are more motivated than anyone else to go on to be a donor. Often they encourage their husbands, wives and family to donate, too.

Now that they are lost to us, it is imperative we find new people to replace them.

Therefore, as well as saying a huge thank-you to our donors tomorrow, we would like to use the day to issue an appeal.

We are all dependent on those who give blood, yet, in Northern Ireland, only 6 per cent of those eligible to give, do so.

The rest of us - and you never know when you might need that life saving transfusion - rely on them.

People who donate blood, know they are doing some good but they don't all realise just how much good.

Within three days, a donated unit of blood will have saved a life. You really do make a world of difference.

WE have great admiration for those who take the time to donate and many do it on a regular basis.

Now, we urge those who haven't yet given blood to join them and enroll as donors.

Our service is under pressure and we need your help.

Until now, we had to recruit 10,000 new donors each year just to stay level but now, because we have lost so many donors, we need an extra 4,000 annually. That is a tough task.

It is difficult for us to compete for people's time. Everyone leads very busy lives but we urge you to think about finding that little bit of time it takes to donate blood.

It takes just 45 minutes and that includes registration, donation, rest time and refreshment.

If you become a regular donor, you need to give up just 45 minutes every 16 weeks.

Think about it like this. This week the Euro 2004 football championship gets uner way, and there will be a lot of time spent watching football.

Many will find time to watch the games but it's amazing to think in the time it takes to watch half a match, you could give blood and join our worldwide life-saving team.

As you find those hours to enjoy the football, consider finding those crucial 45 minutes to give blood.

Remember, if you give blood on Monday, by Thursday you will have saved someone's life.

In Northern Ireland, 1,500 units are used every week and 500 patients receive blood.

Most people think about giving blood from time to time but most never follow it through.

Today we urge you - please do it this time. Enroll as a donor and we will call you when there is a session in your area.

With almost 1000 donation sessions held at 240 locations spread throughout the Province, there is no excuse not to.

We have even extended the opening hours of our HQ at Belfast City Hospital to 8pm Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to give as many people as possible the chance to donate.

The Blood Transfusion Service can be contacted by free phoning 0500 534 666 or visit www.nibts.org or, see UTV Teletext page 602.

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