‘THE 21st May is a day I will never forget,’
Carika Hassard, wife to Hluhluwe farmer Peter-John (PJ) who was gunned down on his farm earlier this year spoke at the annual South African National Blood Services donor lunch on Saturday.
PJ received 45 units of blood in the four months he was in hospital, after intruders shot him in his stomach, shattering his liver.
Carika spoke on behalf of PJ, retelling the story of her husband’s attack and his road to recovery.
He had internal bleeding and desperately needed A+ blood, but there was none available.
‘Doctors said my husband would die without the blood,’ said Carika.
The Zululand community responded to the Hassard’s plight and streamed into blood clinics to donate blood. Carika said a total of 122 people gave A+ blood at four clinics in Zululand.
Minutes later doctors from Ngwelezana Hospital called and told PJ’s specialist they had two units available for him.
‘Doctors said they had never heard of such severe blood loss, and PJ received 16 units of blood that day. It is a miracle he is alive,’ said Carika.
‘I realised the shortage of blood is the difference between life and death. Thank you to the people who took the time to give blood, they are the reason my husband is alive today,’ she said.
One such man who has been donating blood since he was 17 years old, is Barend Laas.
The 60 year-old man was given a standing ovation when he received his award for donating 250 units of blood.
The Club 25 donors were also at the lunch to receive their 20 units award.
The group of seven are all under the age of 26 years and have been giving blood since they were at school.
