Help keep blood stocks healthy over Christmas: Donate blood in Weymouth & Portland

Demand for lifesaving blood doesn’t stop for Christmas. Many children and adults will need transfusions over the festive period as treatment for a blood condition or cancer, or due to surgery, childbirth or an accident.

Shailesh Mistry, Regional Donor Marketing Operations Manager, said: “Blood stock levels can dip over the busy festive period as Christmas shopping, celebrations and extended public holidays mean giving blood can slip off to-do lists.

“But we need our loyal donors inWeymouth&Portlandmore than ever at this time of year to help us meet increased demand from hospitals for lifesaving blood over the festive period.

“Please make and keep a date to donate in December. If you need to cancel please give us at least three days’ notice so we can open up the appointment to another donor.

The top 10 reasons to give blood up to and over Christmas are:

1. Patients need blood 365 days a year
2. Missed appointment are higher in December and early January 
3. Shopping, parties and catching-up with friends and family can get in the way in donating
4. The rise in bugs and colds prevents more people from donating
5. Travelling over the festive period can get in the way of donating
6. Bad weather puts off people from going to a donation session
7. Hospitals ask for more blood in the run up to Christmas and New Year
8. Every week, we need to replace the nation’s entire red cell stock
9. We have to replace the national supply of platelets every few days
10. Stocks of rare blood groups and platelets are most likely to fall over Christmas and New Year

• Make and keep your appointment to donate  by calling the Donor Line on 0300 123 23 23 or visit www.blood.co.uk
• It is also easy to book through mobile apps for Windows, Android and Apple devices. To download the app, search ‘NHSGiveBlood’ in the app store.

We hold blood donor sessions in Weymouth and Portland and still have lots of appointments available at the following sessions –

18 December 2017 at the Methodist Church Hall, Easton Square.  Portland

29 December 2017 at the Fire Station, Radipole Lane.  Weymouth

Most people aged 17 to 65 who are generally fit and healthy can give blood.