Have you recently received an SMS saying, ‘Dear X. Help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients this winter. Your donation can save up to 3 lives. Donate at X, from X to X. Contact us on 0800119031. SMS STOP to opt out. Std rates apply.’?
If you really can’t make the dates and times suggested in these SMSs, it’s okay; there are other ways to support SANBS in their outcry for blood donations. You may visit a donor centre, arrange a blood drive at work, or most importantly, you can encourage others to donate blood too.
Less than 1% of SA donate blood
According to Trading Economics, it’s projected that South Africa’s population will trend at around 61.93 Million in 2022. Quite a solid nation. But why are less than 1% of South Africans active blood donors?!
Yes, it’s a schlep even to put half an hour aside to do something that seems unimportant right now. Yet, we know that life loves to throw unexpected and unappreciative events and circumstances.
Daily, we find ourselves in a vehicle or walking the streets and anything can happen at any given moment. Heaven forbids it, but now and again, we need to check in with reality before it’s too late.
That’s why we are so passionate to encourage everyone, if you can, to donate blood and get a medical aid. These two go hand in hand, but we’ll explain this in another future blog. So, where can you donate in Sandton?
Sandton blood donor centres
It’s easy to find your nearest blood donor centre using SANBS’s centre locator. Depending on where in Sandton you are, your closest centre might be Craighall, The Colony, Fourways, or Northgate.
It’s best to contact your nearest centre before pitching up to ensure they perform the type of donation you are eligible for – blood, plasma, or platelets.
Have you heard that SANBS also offers iron tablets to whole blood donors aged between 16 and 45 years? It’s to restore the iron lost while donating blood. Ask the staff assisting you if you are interested in these iron supplements. #IronThingsOut
Book a blood drive
If you can’t go to them, arrange that they come to you. It’s a simple process in helping them increase our country’s bloodstock levels. By doing this, you might also create interest in those around you to use the opportunity to donate.
One way to encourage your family, friends, or colleagues, is to spark the curiosity of their blood group types. Most people don’t know, and this is the perfect occasion to find out.
So, if you know of communities, corporates, schools, colleges, churches, and residential complexes where the South African National Blood Service can get new blood donors. Please help them by completing this form.
If you had to choose at least one option, which one will it be to help SANBS on World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday, 14 June 2022?
