Today is ‪#‎WorldBloodDonorDay‬ and we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of giving blood.

There are many incidences where somebody may need your blood for all sorts of reasons:

Women who have complications during child-birth.
Children with severe anaemia
People who have severe medical trauma as a result of accident or injury.
People undergoing complex medical procedures and surgery.
Cancer patients.
People with diseases such as sickle-cell disease, thalassaemia and haemophilia.

During times of war, disaster and pandemic illness; blood stocks are often very low and it is important to keep these stocks replenished as much as possible. In particular; doctors need blood from those who have a rare blood type such as ab minus, b minus and o minus.

Almost anybody can give blood and the whole procedures takes just 15 to 30 minutes of your time. Roughly 1 pint of blood is taken in a single donation, and this is very quickly replenished by the human body in a matter of 24 to 36 hours. You can give blood every 112 days - that's roughly once every 6 months.

At present; most blood donors are aged 45 plus and that is why younger donors are most urgently needed. If you are aged between 17 and 66; fit and healthy and weigh over 50kgs; then please consider registering with your local blood donation service today.

Remember; your donation will help save life - so do something amazing and find out more about donating blood via the link below:

http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day/2016/en/