This coming Saturday, SANBS will be hosting an Easter Promotional Blood Drive at the Kroonstad, Klerksdorp and Potchefstroom donor centres with the aim of increasing blood stocks levels before the challenging Easter period. The target is 75 units of blood for each centre. Please visit your closest centre between 09:00 and 14:00 and help the South African National Blood Service reach this target to save hundreds of lives this Easter.

At Lunch's Pulane Nel-Sekepe interviewed Bronwyn Petersen, Kroonstad Donor Centre Donor Relations Practitioner, about the SANBS Egg-stra Mile campaign.

Donors can give blood as often as every eight weeks, every two months. SANBS encourages donors to donate blood regularly, three to four times a year. Blood stocks are under severe pressure when regular donors do not donate as frequently and if there are not sufficient new donors enrolling to become blood donors.  

SANBS should at all times maintain a 5-day blood supply. SANBS currently has less than a three-day blood supply available. As the Easter period is fast approaching, and with the anticipated demand to become even greater, SANBS would like to appeal to all South Africans, who are able to, to visit their nearest blood donor centres or blood drives to donate blood.

There is a big demand for Blood Group O, as it is the blood group that is compatible with all other blood groups and is used in emergency situations.

Donating a unit of this “precious gift of life” saves lives of those in dire need of blood. It's important to develop a habit of donating blood regularly in order for SANBS to collect sufficient blood that will ensure that in cases of emergency, quality blood is always available. 

There are also thousands of patients in need of blood transfusions daily such as women haemorrhaging due to pregnancy complication and other gyneacological complications, premature babies, children with severe anaemia, accident trauma patients, surgical and cancer patients. When one donates blood, they give patients the gift money cannot buy or science cannot create. SANBS often invites recipients who have received blood to speak about their experience, and in most cases, they hear about how blood donors has given them a second chance of life, a second chance with their family, another holiday to remember. It’s so beautiful to hear about the significant impact that blood donors has made on thousands of patients!

If you are between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg, lead a safe lifestyle, and feel healthy, you can come through to donate blood to register as a blood donor.