Do you give blood? If so, what prompted you to donate and if you are a regular donor, why have you continued?
Have you ever been in a situation where you or your family needed to receive blood?
NHSBT would love to hear your story – just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and we hope to publish some of the responses in the future.
Here is local resident Ann MacGillivray's blood donation story:
Bitterne Park resident Ann MacGillivray, who is due to give her 14th pint of blood on 2nd March at Pear Tree Church, strongly advocates blood donation. “Giving blood is my contribution to others who are in trouble and need help. I don’t know who the people are that get my blood but it is just a part of being able to. It is a very small part of being in a giving community,” said Ann who works to support blind people who have other disabilities.
As a regular donor donating every 16 weeks, she has a universal blood group so anyone can have her blood if needed. She knows that her blood is used in emergencies when there is not time to type some one’s blood before giving them a transfusion.
She knows that her blood is also used to make plasma which is used to treat people who have serious burns. One of her friends is suffering with cancer and Ann is thankful that blood is also used to treat cancer patients.
Ann wants to tell more people about giving blood, “It does not take too much time and I look away when the needle goes in it is only a little pain for a very short while. The staff are well trained and show their appreciation.”