'Unstoppable' blood donor honoured

The lives of 225 hospital patients have been saved by a remarkable Sheringham man who was honoured by the National Blood Service (NBS) at a recent Award Dinner Ceremony in Norwich. Seventy-two blood donors, their families and National Blood Service (NBS) staff gathered at Dunston Hall, in recognition of the lifesaving actions of long-serving blood donors from across East Anglia. Mr Michael Holmes of Clover Drive was among sixty-five donors who were honoured with an engraved crystal plate to mark their achievement of 75 donations of blood, and a further seven donors received crystal decanter awards for giving a staggering 100 donations.

The awards dinner is a way of thanking the most loyal donors from across the region who give blood simply for the benefit of others. Honoured donors can never truly be rewarded for their years of loyalty and dedication, some of which have been giving blood, come rain or shine, for over 40 years. With each donation potentially saving up to three lives, each of the people who were receiving awards could lay claim to saving the lives of at least 225 people.

Gareth Bell, Communications Officer for the NBS, described the achievements of honoured blood donors as 'phenomenal'. "Only 5 per cent of people who could give blood actually do so and from that small number just a handful will ever reach such momentous landmarks - it really is a phenomenal feat! It is a great honour for me and everyone at the Service to be able to recognise the achievements of these donors in some small way. Long standing blood donors really are the NHS' unsung heroes. Without dedicated blood donors countless families would without doubt be mourning the loss of a loved one."

Each day the NBS must collect 8,000 donations across England and north Wales to ensure blood stocks remain healthy. The NBS are constantly looking for more donors to come forward to help replace the 15 per cent of people who are unable to continue giving blood each year due to age, ill health, or relocation. In most cases anyone aged 17-59, in general good health, who weighs over 7st 12lbs (50kg), can start giving blood. The entire process only takes around an hour in total, with the actual donation on the bed lasting on average 6 to 8 minutes. To find out more about giving blood, to register as a donor, and to book an appointment, please contact the NBS helpline on 0845 7 711 711. You can also log on to www.blood.co.uk. Booking an appointment is strongly recommended.