Blood donor numbers on the rise

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/8075950.stm

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An extra 10,000 blood donors have been recruited in Scotland since a hard-hitting advertising campaign was launched a year ago.

But the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) said more donors were still required.

Television and radio adverts and an internet video will form part of further campaigning in June.

National donor services manager Dr Moira Carter said she hoped to equal last year's success in boosting donors.

Launching the start of Blood Donor Week 2009, she said: "This is hard evidence that the Scottish public have taken our message to heart and are taking action on the plea we have made.

Emergency transfusions

"To keep up with demand, we need to repeat our success in the year ahead, and add another 10,000 donors by June 2010.

"To those who have always thought about becoming a regular blood donor but have never got round to it, please roll up your sleeves and help us keep on top of the increasing need for blood donors."

Among those who directly benefitted from donations last year was Jen Moxey who lost almost 10 pints (5.5 litres) of blood when she gave birth to her second daughter Anna last June.

She required eight emergency transfusions, replacing all the blood in her body.

She said: "If it wasn't for blood donors I wouldn't be alive today, and both Anna and Kiera wouldn't have a mummy. This is a terrifying thought.

"I can't stress enough how grateful I am to the blood donors who saved my life and I'd like every single person in Scotland to come forward and register as a blood donor now."

Donors can give blood every 12 weeks. The SNBTS provides transfusions for 100,000 patients a year.