Samoa Red Cross marked World Blood Donor Day on June 14 by holding a blood drive and encouraging people to help others by donating blood.
The theme was ‘More blood. More life’ reinforcing the urgent need for blood. Without safe blood many people would not receive blood transfusions and would not be alive. In short, safe blood, saves lives.
“On average 300 blood donors are required every month for patients who need blood for their survival but we do not get enough donors,” says Babey Suniula, Blood Recruitment Officer at Samoa Red Cross.
World Blood Donor Day is also opportunity to express thanks and appreciation to the voluntary, unpaid blood donors from the community, companies and churches that give blood from their own will without receiving anything in return.
Kerrie Punivalu, of age 50, is a committed Red Cross blood donor with rare blood type AB positive and has been a blood donor for 32 years.
“Whenever they (Red Cross) call for my blood I go and donate. I think the less they have of my blood type the more important it is to give,” says Kerrie.
Donating blood and helping others can also be a satisfying experience. Kerrie recalls a time from her days working in the operating theatre as nurse. “Once I was called in to surgery for a patient. When I looked over to the blood bag going to the patient I noticed my name on it. This was a very memorable moment,” says Kerrie.
Young people are a stable source of safe blood and have an important role to play in the community.
Isara Isara is a 23 year-old blood donor and Red Cross volunteer who has been donating blood every three months since his uncle needed blood for an operation six years ago. He is also an active member of Club 25, a Red Cross group of young people aged 16-25 that encourage other young people to donate blood.
“I think from the time my uncle needed my blood till now, I donate for others, not just to help my family. What I do, also comes back to me. Maybe if I donate for others, they will also help me or my family members one day”, says Isara