Thu, 19 December, 2019
TWI once-again welcomed the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service to our headquarters near Cambridge to allow people from across Granta Park to donate blood and platelets.
The donations were taken on 19 December, with the NHS bringing all of the necessary equipment with them to provide a user-friendly service to donors throughout the day.
The aim of the service is to ensure there is a consistent supply of blood, which can be particularly problematic around Christmas as many people have other commitments at this time of year.
Each blood donation took under an hour to complete from registration to recovery, including a quick blood test. Each donor gave just under one pint of blood, which is enough to save the lives of three people. Those who donated platelets were required to organise this with a member of NHSBT staff, with these donations taking between 90 minutes and two hours to complete.
Despite the service taking donations seven days a week at around 1500 venues across the country, there is always a need for fresh donations, particularly from ethnic minorities where donations are relatively low.
Although most donations go to treat patients who have experienced blood loss or who are undergoing cancer treatments, blood is also used for laboratory work, education, training and research. Any excess donations can also be used to create healthcare products by commercial enterprises, with all profits being used for the benefit of the NHS.
If you missed the chance to give blood you can find out more information and register for an upcoming session here.