Anne Jaquiery-Newall celebrated her 100th time rolling up her sleeve to give blood at the Dunedin Donor Centre yesterday, coinciding with World Blood Donor Day.
"I don’t particularly like needles at all," Mrs Jaquiery-Newall said.
"Until I can’t, I will just continue."
NZ Blood Te Ratonga Tato O Aotearoa donor relations co-ordinator Linda Burt said World Blood Donor Day was an opportunity to educate people about the increased need for blood and plasma in New Zealand.
"World Blood Donor Day is a chance to celebrate and thank our awesome whanau of donors across New Zealand for their selfless generosity.
"Whatever their reason for donation, our donors are helping to save lives.
"In the Otago region we need more than 1500 new donors in the next 12 months just to ensure we can continue to meet this growing demand for blood and blood products."
One blood donation could save up to three lives, she said.
One plasma donation could be made into 11 different life-saving products.
"Demand for blood and plasma is rising.
"That’s why we need 5000 donations per week nationwide."
After watching a friend diagnosed with leukaemia receive blood, Mrs Jaquiery-Newall realised she could donate herself.
It had taken more than 20 years of donating to reach the 100 mark.
She was just glad she was lucky enough to come to the centre as often as she had.
Fast forward to today and she could say with certainty that giving blood "has always been pretty easy".
"It’s something that regenerates so it’s not like you are giving something that you don’t get back.
"My blood is good and they love it, so why not give it?"
