World Blood Donor Appreciation Day is Saturday but along with thanking its donors, the Belize Blood Bank is spending this week appealing for new donors. The bank collected 1,800 pints of blood in Belize City last year but the majority of those were replacement donors. To keep the system running, the bank needs voluntary donors and Keith Swift found out how a pint of blood saved one life today.
Keith Swift Reporting,
This afternoon Elizabeth Howard comfortably laid back as a nurse prepared her to do something she’s done numerous times before: donate a pint of blood.
Elizabeth Howard, Blood Donor
“A co-worker of mine asked me to do that for his family member so I didn’t have any problem doing it anyway. I know I am healthy so I have no problem with that.”
Keith Swift,
What made you give?
Elizabeth Howard,
“Well I am just trying to help somebody else because if something would happen to me and if I would need, I would wish they would take the stand and try to do it for me also. To me blood is life. Jesus’ blood saved people. My blood is less than Jesus’ blood but if I can help somebody, then so be it. I don’t have any problem with that.”
And the person she will be helping is the family member of her co-worker Vernon Aguilar.
Vernon Aguilar, Family Member Needs Blood
“One of my sister in law is having an operation today and my brother had called to ask if I could find the people that would be willing to donate blood from the family member or friends thus the reason why I am here today because personally I cannot so I had to acquire the services of a co-worker who by chance is a blood donor.”
But Howard is a replacement donor - and the blood bank’s supervisor Joy Robeateau says they need voluntary donors. Robateau says it is a fairly simply process and everyone is a potential donor.
Joy Robateau, Blood Bank Supervisor
“We do a little needle stick on your finger from which we collect a couple drops of blood to test for blood grouping and a haemoglobin level. The haemoglobin level is important because we need to know how high your blood is, that you’re healthy enough to give blood.
With our recent gun violence and traffic accidents, our blood supply is dwindling swiftly. So we really need to replenish stock on a daily basis.”
Keith Swift,
Are you getting the amount of blood you need?
Joy Robateau,
“Well what we are getting right now is basically replacement donors which mean that they will use our blood and they would come back and replace it. What we need to move towards is our voluntary process where we would have the donor come in and give voluntarily to the blood bank which at that point we will have ample supplies to give to everyone in need. We don’t know at what time we will need blood so you cannot wait until the last minute to give blood. You have to think in advance of your future, of the population of Belize, of your fellow men, and give blood – give life, give blood.”
On an average the bank collects 10 units a day. The shelf life of a unit is 35 days. All donated blood is screened for HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis. You must be between the ages of 18 and 65 to donate. Donations have to be made in three month intervals.
