George Hospital staff urge blood donors to come forward

GEORGE NEWS - George Hospital staff have made a plea for blood donors to come forward to donate blood.

According to Arlecia November, marketing supervisor at the George branch of the Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS), more people get sick with flu during the Winter season and blood donations tend to go down.

A blood donation drive held by the service at George Hospital on Friday 25 June was very well supported and staff showed up in numbers to help raise the blood stocks and create awareness of the need for donations.

The drive was held in celebration of World Blood Donor Day recognised annually on 14 June.

November said 41 donors attended the clinic, with 15 new donors who registered on the day.

"The clinic was a huge success. The WCBS is experiencing a blood shortage and is in need of blood O groups which can be used in an emergency,” said November.

Blood transfusion recipient pays it forward by donating blood

The obstetrics and gynaecology registrar at the hospital, Dr S Ntunja, was a first-time donor at the clinic. He is a living example of the lifesaving ability of blood transfusions after being involved in an accident.

He decided to become a donor in order to pay the good deed forward which saved his life.