In Canterbury, there are 21,000 blood donors.
Sounds a lot, but to be realistic, more than 27,000 donors are needed for the NZ Blood Service to meet a growing need.
Every week, NZBS needs to collect more than 900 blood and plasma donations to keep up with the demand for blood and blood products.
“New Zealand Blood Service needs all the blood types to come and help out because we need A’s and O’s which are the main blood types to provide blood and blood products for the patients in the hospital.
And we need B's and AB’s to provide plasma products for the patients, so we need everyone to help out.” says Atawhai Te Hau, the Acting Team Leader Donations Relations Southern.
She says every year there is a 12% increase in demand from hospitals for plasma and plasma products with this demand arising from patients who have had accidents or trauma, and also from patients who need it for the immuno-globulin (IG) products.
Andrew Beswick, a Detective Sergeant with the NZ Police, gives regularly and has been doing so from the age of 16.
"I came with my mother, it’s a family thing and now my children are also doing it as well” says Beswick.
Beswick gives plasma. “I was given an option. There was whole blood, plasma or platelets. I wasn't suitable for platelets, but I was suitable for plasma and I thought plasma would be a good way to contribute. So that's what I did.”
Beswick says giving blood and or plasma is a simple process and not painful at all. He even encourages his work colleagues to do it with him.
“Just do it, it's not a hard process and you're doing your bit for the community.”
- John Spurdle, Public Interest Journalism Fund
