Blood service calls on residents in Secunda and Bethal to donate blood

SECUNDA – The Teksa branch of the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) launched the Change a Life campaign earlier in November.

With this campaign, SANBS wants to educate people about platelet donations.

Thandi Mosupye, SANBS’ Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications said platelet donors are crucial in helping them to provide much-needed products for the treatment of patients with blood disorders, cancer and organ recipients.

“Patients undergoing cancer treatment are highly dependent on regular platelet donations as part of their recovery,” said Mosupye.

The SANBS is dependent on blood donations to continue their work and Mosupye said currently, the SANBS urgently need Group O and Group B blood donors to help them to boost the declining blood stock levels.

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She said the rainy days Secunda and the surrounding areas experienced in the last few weeks led to the cancellation of mobile blood drives while the SANBS still needs a minimum of 3 500 units nationally every day.

She urged donors who are due to donate, to spare some time in their busy schedules to visit the donor centres in Secunda, Bethal or Sasol.

“We need your help to stabilise our stock levels, especially as we prepare for the festive season,” said Mosupye.

She said that donors can even donate blood during load-shedding times, as all the SANBS donor centres are electrified during blackouts.

For more information, contact the Teksa Blood Centre in Secunda at 017 631 1652 or visit them in Horwood Street or contact the blood centre in Bethal at 017 647 5598 or visit them near Spar.

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