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Blood Donors Join Together To Encourage People To Give The Gift Of Life
(Hamilton, Bermuda, June 14, 2010)
Almost 150 blood donors came together for group photograph to encourage others to join them in giving the gift of life for World Blood Donor Day, which is celebrated Monday 14 June 2010.
Only about 3% of people in Bermuda donate blood. This is about half that found in other developed countries, where about 6% of the country donate blood.
“Our existing donors are wonderful and we rely on them donating regularly due to the small percentage of the population currently donating,” explains Dr Betsie Lombard, Director of Blood Transfusion Services.
“More people should join us,” she adds. “The donation process only takes about half an hour and there is dedicated parking just for blood donors as we recognize that many of them take time out of their busy work lives.”
Only a small percentage of donated blood goes to trauma victims, such as road traffic accident or victims of violence. Most blood donated helps people who undergo surgery, or who need blood for therapeutic reasons, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy or people with sickle cell anaemia.
“People don’t always realize that blood donors not only save lives, but improve the quality of life for many people with painful and debilitating conditions,” Dr Lombard says. “And many of our blood donors overcome needle phobias to donate. We use trained blood donor nurses and technicians to ensure maximum comfort and safety.”
About 40 to 50 units of blood are needed in Bermuda every week to manage therapeutic uses, planned surgery and trauma. Without blood donations, no elective or emergency surgery could take place on island, and people needing therapeutic blood donations would have to travel for treatments.
Notes to Editors
About Bermuda Hospitals Board:
The Bermuda Hospitals Board is a quango (quasi autonomous non-governmental organisation) established under the Bermuda Hospitals Board Act, 1970. It has a Bermuda Government-approved Board and a Chief Executive Officer, responsible for King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute. At the heart of both organisations is high quality care to all patients.
With approximately 1,700 employees, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is Bermuda’s second largest employer. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute are the only healthcare organisations in Bermuda accredited by Accreditation Canada, an independent organisation whose role is to help hospitals examine and improve the quality of care and service they provide to their clients. In addition to providing an extensive list of services for the community, the Bermuda Hospitals Board is part of a referral network that includes some of the world’s leading specialist hospitals.
For more information, please log on to www.bermudahospitals.com.
or contact the Bermuda Hospitals Board Public Relations Department:
Anna Lowry
Bermuda Hospitals Board
Telephone: 441.239.2104
or
Lena Ostroff
Bermuda Hospitals Board
Telephone: 441.239.2171
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