POLOKWANE – PEPPS College’s eco-champion and clinic controller, Pam Smith recently donated blood for the 51st time.
She shared that she got involved in eco-programmes for eco-schools which required that she do something for the community.
Her sign came from passing a South African National Blood Services (SANBS) board and she introduced blood drives to the school. “It was something that we never did and now it has been a good 10 years that we have been involved,” she explained.
She added that the reason she continues to donate is because she added to her bucket list that she must donate at least 50 times.
Pam is now on her 51st donation with no intentions of stopping because she knows that it saves lives. “I’ve had members of my own family that have needed blood and I always think of the day that I may need it,” she said.
She urged those who are not sure about donating blood to do it because it is the most important thing one can do.
“You are giving something of yourself and there is nothing better. It is so satisfying and it won’t make you sick. The body regenerates afterwards,” she said.
Raeesa Sempe is a Caxton Award-winning Digital Editor with nine years’ experience in the industry. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Studies from the University of the Witwatersrand and started her journey as a community journalist for the Polokwane Review in 2015. She then became the online journalist for the Review in 2016 where she excelled in solidifying the Review’s digital footprint through Facebook lives, content creation and marketing campaigns. Raeesa then moved on to become the News Editor of the Bonus Review in 2019 and scooped up the Editorial Employee of the Year award in the same year. She is the current Digital Editor of the Polokwane Review-Observer, a position she takes pride in. Raeesa is married with one child and enjoys spending time with friends, listening to music and baking – when she has the time. “I still believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon." – Tom Stoppard
