Radio team joins summer blood donation campaign

A TV anchor from Die GROOT Ontbyt was so motivated during an interview with a representative of the SA Blood Donation Service that she rallied up everyone at GROOT FM 90.5 building to arrange a visit for a blood drive.

Jennifer Myburgh was joined by the rest of the team of the show, as well as radio station staff and their families.

Myburgh said it is and remains one of the easiest ways to save someone else’s life.

This drive is aligned to the need for blood at blood banks as South Africans gear up for the festive season.

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) launched its annual summer campaign last month and its special blood drive on Red Saturday on November 30.

“If I do introspection I must admit I do not do this often enough. Everybody must have the option of having blood available to save their life. This is a way to enable all of us in the team to make this option possible for others,” explained Myburgh.

She said she was unaware that less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors and that a unit of blood only lasts 42 days after donation.

“For this reason, it is important for blood donors to donate regularly. Donors can give blood as often as every eight weeks. I now know every unit of blood can save a minimum of three lives, as blood is separated into three big needs: red blood cells, plasma and platelets,” said Myburgh.

Her co-presenter, Pierre Breytenbach, said: “Nobody is an island”.

At one stage his father needed a donation of blood when in hospital.

“You never know when you will be needing it yourself or when a family member might need donated blood. It is also so easy to be able to do this with colleagues and make it a team effort,” said Breytenbach.

Oscar Ramutsheli, a donor educator at the SANBS, said in Pretoria the service has 13 teams going out every day to hold blood drives over and above the services delivered at the nine blood donor centres.

“That means we have 22 teams ready for possible donors,” said Ramutsheli.

He pointed out that they aim to collect 3 000 units of blood countrywide per day to ensure a safe and sufficient blood supply in the healthcare system.

Blood is needed by patients undergoing surgical operations, patients with cancer or leukaemia, children with severe anaemia, accident victims and to treat haemorrhage as a complication of pregnancy.

“If you are between the ages of 16 and 75, weigh more than 50kg and lead a sexually safe lifestyle, you can come to a clinic and register as a blood donor,” said Ramutsheli.

He confirmed that law a donor may only donate every 56 days.

“This is to ensure that you have had enough time to regenerate the red cells from your last donation. One is allowed to donate only about 450ml,” said Ramutsheli.

He said the summer campaign will focus on raising awareness about the importance of regular blood donations, encouraging first-time donors to make donating a lifelong practice and educating the public on the reciprocal benefits of giving blood.

Blood Donation 101: Facts to remember
You cannot give blood if:
– you got a tattoo (this includes micro-blading or permanent make-up) or piercing in the last three months.
– had major surgery in the last three months.
– you travelled outside South Africa in the last three months.
– you had dental cleaning or a filling in 72 hours.
– you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
– you have presented with flu-like symptoms in the last seven days.
– you have visited a malaria area in the last four weeks.

Visit www.sanbs.org.za or contact 0800 119 031 to find out where you can donate blood. Follow SANBS on X (@theSANBS), Facebook (@SANBS), Instagram (@thesanbs) and TikTok (@thesanbs).

– Click here to see the blood drive at the Die GROOT Ontbyt’s building in Pretoria east.

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